The Spare Room
by 27dayz
Summary: The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room to help cover expenses. The problem is that while Daryl can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Pre-ZA AU.
1. Chapter 1

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 1**

"I hate to do this to y'all, Daryl, I really do," Lenny Calhoun said, "Prices are goin' up everywhere and I got bills to pay, Man."

"Len, it's just me and Merle here," Daryl Dixon replied, "We do all the maintenance here and everythin'. Can't ya cut us a bit of slack?"

"Already been cuttin' ya guys slack on the rent for it, but fact is I'm raising rent on all my places. Gotta put the kid through college somehow," Len told him with a chuckle. Daryl didn't find the statement funny at all. Not even remotely. Len was a forty-something-year-old man with a beer gut and a delinquent teenager who would rather do time than go to school. He made his money by sitting on his ass and collecting money from suckers like Daryl who were renting out his properties. The asshole didn't work for shit.

"Tryin' to put _me_ through college, Len," Daryl said, "Ain't got no daddy to pay for it for me."

"Well, ain't much I can do about that, Daryl," Len shrugged, "All I know is I'm expectin' eight hundred next month. That's still low compared to the others," Len assured Daryl with a smile like that made it all better, "Now, Son, you say 'Hi' to your brother for me. Got to head down to the house on third street and let them know rent's goin' up."

"Yeah, you do that," Daryl grumbled sourly, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. Len turned back to look at the young man and shrugged his shoulder.

"Now, Daryl, nothin' comes for free, Son," he stated, leaving the younger Dixon brother to glower at his retreating back. Daryl knew better than anyone that nothing came for free. In the twenty-two years he had been on this earth, he had learnt that everything, no matter how small, came with a price.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed off the doorframe and slammed the door as he walked into the three-bedroom bungalow that he shared with his older brother. He found Merle passed out on the couch, a small pile of beer cans resting underneath the coffee table along with a half-drunk bottle of jack. On top of the table sat an empty pizza box, a copy of 'Jugs', and an ashtray with several cigarette butts and half of a joint in it.

"Goddammit, Merle," Daryl griped, moving into the kitchen to grab a garbage bag. He muttered angrily to himself as he moved around the room tossing garbage into the bag. He set it by the front door and then grabbed a blue recycling bag for the cans, taking care to ensure that the bag rattled loudly with every step he took.

"Jesus fuck!" Merle Dixon moaned, lifting his head up a fraction of an inch from the couch cushion, "The hell ya doin', Boy?"

"Cleanin' up your goddamn shit," Daryl snapped back, throwing a can he found behind the TV into his bag.

"Can't ya save the damn environment at a decent damn hour?" Merle complained, burying his head back into the cushion, "Fidgety little tree-hugger."

"It's one o'clock in the afternoon," Daryl informed him coldly, "and I ain't no tree-hugger. These damn cans is goin' towards next month's fuckin' rent."

"Tree-hugger," Merle groaned, the sound muffled by the cushion. Daryl rolled his eyes and continued cleaning up after Merle's bender. It was the same thing every weekend. Once the work week was done, Merle would hit up the bar or the liquor store. He'd get himself good and plastered Friday and Saturday and then he'd sleep it all off on Sunday while Daryl cleaned up the carnage.

"Ya know, Len's raisin' the rent," Daryl ventured as he moved into the kitchen to get started on the spills in there, "Owe him eight next month."

Merle's response was a grunt.

"That's a hundred and fifty more for each of us," Daryl kept talking.

This was followed by another grunt.

"Means there's less damn money for ya to blow on booze and dope," Daryl said. This statement was followed by a moan and then by heavy footsteps making their way towards the kitchen.

"The fuck ya bitchin' 'bout there, Wifey?" Merle groaned, leaning against the wall of the arch that led into the kitchen. Daryl scowled at him, but at the same time, he marvelled at how Merle was able to stand at all. Even now, his brother looked like the walking dead.

"Money. Rent. It go up," Daryl emphasized, sounding like a caveman for the benefit of his brother, who was definitely not firing on all cylinders this afternoon.

"The fuck did he raise it for?" Merle asked, squinting in an effort to keep the sunlight that crept in through the window from frying whatever brain cells he had left.

"Says he's got bills and he's trying to put that lil' fuck Leroy through school," Daryl griped, trying to push back his annoyance over the injustice of it all. Daryl would give anything for the chance to go to school and make something of himself. Hell, he threw almost every red cent he earned into the coffee can labelled 'School' under his bed. Then there were ungrateful little assholes like Leroy Calhoun than got money handed to them.

"Pfft. More like Lenny needs money for them hookers up in the city," Merle snorted, "We got any fuckin' coffee?"

"In the pot," Daryl directed him, watching with a raised eyebrow as his brother shuffled his feet over to the coffee pot. He watched as Merle managed to get himself a cup of coffee and then continued, "We owe eight next month."

"Eight?" Merle repeated, his eyebrows shooting up to his curly brown hair, "Eight hundred?"

"No, eight cents, ya moron," Daryl griped sarcastically, "Yes, eight hundred dollars."

"Fuckin' A!" Merle cursed, "That's a three-hundred dollar hike!"

"Yeah, we're both payin' four now," Daryl informed him bitterly.

"Little fucker," Merle cursed out their landlord, "How the fuck's he expect anyone to do that shit in a month?"

"Beats me," Daryl replied, "Might be goin' hungry this month…or ya might have to cut back on the boozin'."

"Son-of-a-bitch," Merle swore, "Two-fifty to four-fuckin'-hundred. Damn crime right there! Almost fuckin' double!"

"No kiddin'," Daryl agreed sullenly.

"Ya got that money stashed away?" Merle asked him, "Might have to use it to cover this month-"

"Hell fuckin' no!" Daryl protested, whirling around to face his brother, "Been savin' that shit since I was fifteen. Ain't fuckin' touchin' it!"

Merle put his hands up in surrender, showing that he was abandoning the idea of using the money in Daryl's coffee can for rent. When Daryl was fifteen-years-old, he took his first biology class and he fell in love with it. Growing up, he had spent almost all of his time in the woods and learning about the different plants and animals was a dream. For the first time, he found himself actually wanting to go to school. He made top marks in his class, something that had been almost unheard of for a Dixon in his hometown. His biology teacher helped him research different careers in the field and as soon as Daryl read about wildlife biologists, he knew that's what he wanted to do. He wanted to make money being out in the woods all day and doing something that he loved.

The only issue was the money. Dixons were dirt-poor and getting a Bachelor's of Science was fucking expensive. Will Dixon didn't work. He turned to booze after his wife passed and lived on food stamps, welfare cheques, and what little insurance money was issued from the fire that killed Merle and Daryl's mother. So, Daryl got himself a part-time job at a mechanic shop and started squirrelling away money. He learnt the hard way that he needed to hide his hard-earned money from his Pa and that he needed to hide it well. He rarely dipped into his coffee can unless it was for emergencies and he guarded that can with his life. Even now, Daryl was already thinking of the next place he would hide his coffee can since Merle had suggested taking money out of it.

"So what do we do?" Merle wondered sipping from his cup, "If we payin' rent out of the paychecks, it's gonna be a tight damn month."

"Yep," Daryl agreed, though privately, he thought that it wouldn't be so tight if Merle didn't spend all his extra money on partying. Between the two of them, Merle was making more money right now and could easily pay rent and utilities for the pair of them if he was so inclined. Looking at his brother now, Daryl could see that his brother was focusing quite hard on their money problem, frowning over his coffee cup in that way he would get when he was thinking hard on something.

"Hey!" Merle suddenly exclaimed loudly, making his younger brother jump, "Why don't we get a roommate?"

"What?" Daryl asked dumbly.

"We got that spare room. Let's get a body in it and split the eight hundred three ways. Gotta be fuckin' cheaper than four-a-piece," Merle suggested. Daryl balked at the idea. He disliked strangers and living with one just seemed uncomfortable. He liked his space and the thought of having someone new in it just made him uneasy. That was why they had never had a roommate before.

"Merle-"

"Now hold on, Baby Brother," Merle protested, getting up to rummage in the junk drawer. Daryl watched as he pulled out a calculator, "Eight hundred divided three ways is two-sixty-seven a piece. Instead of payin' an extra one-fifty, we only gotta pay seventeen damn dollars."

"But Merle, we don't know nobody," Daryl reminded him, "Ain't livin' with no stranger-"

"Lil' Brother, you just gonna have to suck that shit up," Merle told him, "We can save a lot of money by fillin' up that room. Ya can get ya ass in that tree-hugger course before ya know it."

"Ain't a tree-hugger course!" Daryl scowled, but he was hesitant to disagree with Merle. Having an extra body to help with the expenses would help Daryl to put away more money for school.

Maybe it was worth getting a roommate after all.

_**0 – TSR - 0**_

To say that her first dinner back home since finishing up her first year of culinary school was tense would have been an understatement for Carol Taylor. She really should have known better than to open her mouth. It had been an innocent question from her mother asking how Carol's boyfriend was. Carol responded by saying that he was good and that he had visited her a few times up in Atlanta. When Carol's father noted that that was a long drive for him to just visit her for the day, Carol had stupidly responded that Ed had stayed over in her dorm room.

George Taylor had frozen in his chair and his eyebrows reached his hairline, Rose Taylor's fork clattered on her plate loudly in a very unladylike way, and Catherine, Carol's younger sister, was suddenly more alert, her blue eyes shining with anticipation.

"He…uh…slept on the floor," Carol offered lamely in hopes of preventing the heart attack and brain aneurysm that would leave her and Catherine to be orphans. It was a lie, but at this point, lying to her parents was tame compared to some of the things she had done in the city with Ed.

"In your dorm room?" Carol's mother asked, levelling her eldest daughter with a firm look.

"It…uh…was better than him driving so late at night," Carol said hastily, "He borrowed an air mattress from one of the guys on the floor below me."

Another lie. And one that her mother could see right through.

"Carol Ann Taylor, are you lying to me right now?" Rose demanded firmly.

"What? No, of course not, Mother-"

"Carol, have you sinned with this boy?" Rose asked sharply, making her husband's hands clench at the armrests on his chair. Catherine looked as if Christmas had come early.

"Mother!" Carol yelped, scandalized.

"Have you?" Rose repeated, her green eyes sharp on her daughter's face. Carol just wanted to escape. She did not want to have this conversation with her parents, knowing that they wouldn't understand. Her parents were traditional, god-fearing people and they were strict in the upbringing of their daughters. They didn't understand that the nineties were different.

"Of course not!" Carol exclaimed.

"You better not have, young lady!" Rose chided, "What man would have a sullied woman for a wife? Finding a husband will be difficult enough with all this gallivanting in the city that you're doing."

Carol pursed her lips and glanced down at her peas, rolling them back and forth with the side of her fork. From a young age, her parents had emphasized the importance of finding a well-to-do husband and establishing a family. They had been more than a little surprised when Carol had expressed a desire to go to culinary school, despite the fact that Carol had always possessed a love of being in the kitchen and creating wonderful smelling things. It had taken the last two years of high school to convince her parents to let her venture into the city. She had told them that she wanted to learn how to cook so that she could be a better wife. She left out the part where she really wanted to move to Louisville and open a restaurant with her cousin, Katie. Her parents never approved of the way her Uncle Dan had raised Katie and as a result, the two girls had only seen each other once a year at Christmas when her mother would dutifully invite her divorced brother and his daughter over for dinner. Carol had always been a little jealous of Katie. Her cousin had been able to wear comfortable jeans instead of the long skirts Carol and Catherine had been dressed in. Katie could wear make-up. She could go out with boys. She had freedom, something that Carol had been denied by her strict upbringing.

Carol sighed and began to scarf down what was left of her meal. She just wanted to escape the questioning stares of her father and the shrewd judgement of her mother. She wanted to go up to her room and have the solitude that she had given up by returning home for the spring and summer months. She excused herself and then took the stairs two at a time before she collapsed on her bed. Getting out of Cranwall was a huge eye-opener. She hadn't realized how sheltered she had been until she had ventured into the city and now that she had returned, she felt trapped. She couldn't wear her comfortable jeans and favorite tank-top without her mother having a coronary. She couldn't leave the house without answering a million questions about where she was going and who she'd be with. She didn't even want to think about what her parents would say if she stayed out passed ten o'clock.

"Hey!" a voice called from the hall. Carol groaned as she felt her sister catapult onto the bed beside her. So much for being alone.

"What do you want, Cath?" Carol asked, turning her head to look at her sister. Catherine was sixteen and had been Carol's main playmate growing up. She was blond like their father with their mother's green eyes and she was a tiny little thing weighing in at a hundred and nine pounds. Carol favored her mother with reddish-brown hair and a slightly curvier figure, but she had her father's kind, blue eyes, her favourite feature.

"I missed you, Sis," Catherine said, grinning over at her, "Do you know how boring it's been around here with just Mom and Dad?"

"Glad I make your life so entertaining," Carol deadpanned.

"You're the big sister. You're supposed to," Catherine told her, "So, how was the city?"

"I miss it already," Carol admitted, "I always thought I liked living in a small town, but in the city, I felt so…free."

"Of course you did," Catherine laughed, sitting up to lean against the white headboard, "You didn't have Mom chasing after you with a ruler to make sure your hemline was the appropriate length…and don't you say Mom's not that bad because she totally is. Honestly, you'd think that we were going to go out and get ourselves pregnant if we're a minute passed curfew."

"Oh, Lord the curfew," Carol groaned.

"Carful, Care," Catherine cautioned teasingly, "Using the lord's name in vain will make Him angry."

Carol held back a laugh at her younger sister's antics. She shook her head, "Why is it that Mom and Dad think that you're the innocent one again?"

"Because I'm the baby and I will always be the baby," Catherine replied with a grin, "So, did you?"

"Did I what?" Carol asked, playing dumb.

"Did you do it with Ed?" Catherine clarified, her eyes alight with curiosity. Carol cringed and tried to figure out what to say as her cheeks reddened. Catherine took Carol's silence for confirmation, "I knew it!"

"Cath!" Carol groaned, her eyes darting to the doorway to make sure her parents were nowhere near the room.

"What was it like? Did it hurt? Mary Ellen Grant said that the first time hurts," Catherine prattled on.

"Cath," Carol groaned again, trying to figure out a way to get out of talking to her sister.

"Did you burst into flames afterwards?" Catherine continued, "Did He smite you down for having premarital relations?"

Carol laughed in spite of herself and blurted out, "I'm still here, aren't I?"

Catherine laughed with her and once again, Carol was reminded that she was not alone in the war for independence from her parents. She loved them dearly, but there were times when she felt smothered by all the rules and commandments. It was nice to know that she had her little sister.

The girls talked for a while before they heard something hit the window. Frowning, Carol got up to look outside and found her boyfriend standing in between her house and the fence, tossing rocks up at her bedroom window. Ed Peletier was older than her by two years. He was a burly young man with short dark hair and scruff around his thick jaw.

"Wow. Pebbles? Really?" Catherine giggled.

"Shut up," Carol hissed, pushing her window opened so she could whisper-yell down to her boyfriend, "Ed, what are you doing?"

"I wanted to see you," he called up, "You've been back in town a whole seven hours now and I ain't seen you once yet! Get down here!"

"It's not a good time," Carol called back, "My parents are downstairs."

"Who cares?" Ed shrugged, "You're of age, ain't you?"

"He's got a point. You are almost nineteen," Catherine pointed out from Carol's left.

"Are you kidding me? Mom and Dad would kill me, resurrect me, and then kill me again," Carol hissed at her sister.

"They don't have to know," Catherine insisted, "I'll cover for you."

"And how am I supposed to get out the front door with them in the sitting room?" Carol demanded.

"Use my window," Catherine suggested, "You can climb down the lattice."

"What?" Carol exclaimed.

"Shhh! It's not hard. I've done it," Catherine shrugged, "Come on! Live a little. I've got to live vicariously through somebody."

"Come on, Carol!" Ed called up, "Get down here!"

Carol was at war with herself for a moment before she reached into her suitcase to grab her jeans. If she was going to scale the side of the house, she wasn't doing it in a skirt.

Maybe she could use a little freedom.

**TBC**

**AN: So here it is. My first Caryl AU. So it's set pre-apocalypse in the 1990's. As of right now, Daryl, Carol, Merle, and Ed are going to be the main focus. They will mostly be interacting with OC's. Some characters that we know and love might make some cameos. I don't know yet if I want to take this story into the apocalypse or not, but once I know, you'll know. **

**Please let me know what you think so far! I appreciate any reviews you wish to leave me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 2**

"Ya gonna like him," Merle predicted, grinning over at Daryl.

"Doubt it," Daryl growled, collapsing onto the couch, still wearing his boots and overalls from work. Merle had been hounding him about the prospective roommate since lunchtime, when Merle met the man in question. His name was Ed Peletier and he worked at the local hardware store. Over lunch, Merle had been told to go to the store to order some parts and Ed had been the guy to help him. Merle had offhandedly mentioned that they had a room to rent and Ed had said that he was just saying to his girlfriend how he needed to find his own place. Apparently the man had been living with his parents since high school.

"Don't be a wet fuckin' blanket, Baby Brother," Merle said, strolling into the kitchen to get himself a glass of water, "This is a good damn thing. One step closer to savin' a little dough."

"We don't even know this guy," Daryl protested. He leaned his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. He had a damn headache coming on thanks to the early hour he had to wake for work, the hot Georgia heat, and the incessant chatter from Merle.

"So we get to know him," Merle said, coming back into the room with his head tipped back as he drained his glass. He polished off the water and set the glass on the coffee table, "He's your damn age…give or take a year or two. Works at a hardware store. What's not to like?"

"Probably lots of things," Daryl grumbled, "Bet he snores or sleepwalks or some damn shit."

"And why d'ya care?" Merle wondered, "Guy's got himself a lady friend so I don't think he's interested in shackin' up with ya."

"Fuck off," Daryl groaned, "My room's next to the spare one and the walls in this place are paper thin. Bad enough I can hear you."

"Get ear plugs," Merle shot at him as he wandered around the room, "The hell's the remote?"

"The hell ya care?" Daryl asked, raising his head up, "Only get two damn channels."

"And whose fault is that, Penny Pincher?" Merle snapped back, "Wanna watch the news."

Daryl rolled his eyes and then began the process of kicking off his boots without actually bending down to unlace them. He'd never understand Merle's fascination with the news. Daryl really wasn't that interested in who was getting bombed or which politician got hauled in for fucking prostitutes. Merle, on the other hand, watched the news every day when they got home from work. Daryl suspected that Merle only did it so that he wouldn't run out of things to complain about during the next workday…and Merle complained a lot.

The brothers moved to Cranwall five months ago at the urging of one of Merle's pals. Merle had pissed off the wrong people up in Louisville and was looking for a place to lie low for a while. Their boss, Danny, had put Merle in contact with Hal Larken, the director of the local county's road crew. Danny and Hal apparently went way back so Hal was pretty willing to give the Dixon boys a chance. They both got jobs working for the road crew and while it was hard work, they were well-paid for it, especially Merle because he had his tickets to operate a bunch of different heavy duty equipment. Daryl was not so well-trained and was placed on the ditch spraying crew. His job was to walk the ditches behind a truck and spray herbicide on any trees growing there. The idea was to kill the trees before they grew large enough to hide wildlife from motorists and before their roots could fuck with the road. It was a shit job. The chemicals stunk and he had to wear plastic white overalls over his clothes. They got fucking hot. In addition, the rules were pretty damn finicky when it came to spraying. If it was too windy, Daryl couldn't spray or he'd risk the wrath of angry farmers as they bitched him out for getting chemical in their crop. On those days, Daryl and his partner, Kevin, would go out into the county and replace busted up road signs. It was exhausting work and while it paid less than Merle's job fixing roads, the pay was still better than a lot of other work Daryl had done over the years.

The money was the reason the Dixons stayed in Cranwall. Daryl's heart was set on saving for college and though Merle grumbled about it, he was the one who suggested that they stay so that Daryl could save up. Merle himself had no interest in saving, but was willing to stay in the town so that Daryl could scrape together his money.

Daryl succeeded in kicking off his boots and then worked the plastic overalls off his body. Technically, he was supposed to throw them out after each use, but they only had so many of these things in Daryl's size. Going a size bigger meant he'd be tripping over himself and going a size smaller meant he'd split the overalls in the ass area and give Merle a good laugh. Daryl threw the overalls by the door and then heaved himself up to go take a shower. After that, he had every intention of going to bed and sleeping until morning. All thoughts of his new roommate could wait until the man was actually moving in.

**_0 – TSR – 0_**

Two days later, Daryl was sitting in the passenger's seat of the spray truck, chewing on his sandwich as he bounced his knee up and down.

"What's with you?" Kevin Jones asked from the driver's side as he scrapped the last bit of rice pudding out of the little plastic dish. Daryl glanced over at his work partner with a raised eyebrow.

"Ain't nothin'," Daryl replied. Kevin set his spoon down in his lunch box and pushed his square-framed glasses back up his nose.

"You're fidgety. Shaking," Kevin observed, nodding towards Daryl's bouncing leg, "I haven't seen you this worked up since Merle disappeared up to Atlanta for that week back in March."

Daryl scowled, hating that it was so easy for Kevin to read him, but then again, they did spend ten hours a day together. He huffed and explained, "Ain't no big thing. New roommate's movin' in after work is all."

"New roommate?" Kevin asked, perking up, "Anyone I'd know?"

Kevin probably did know Peletier. Unlike Daryl, Kevin grew up in this town. He was nineteen and took a year off to make some money. In September, he was going to school for engineering. He was some kind of brainiac.

"Ed Peletier," Daryl said, "Ya know him?"

"Oh yeah," Kevin said, reaching for his second sandwich, "He was a senior when I was a sophomore. He was a big footballer until he got in a car accident that screwed up his knee. Last I heard he was dating Carol Taylor."

"Who's that?" Daryl asked, only because he figured that if Ed was living in his house, he'd eventually have to meet the girlfriend.

"Carol Ann Taylor?" Kevin repeated, "She was in my class. Still don't know what she's doing with him. All through school, she was this good girl. Never partied. Never went out with anybody. Then she turned eighteen, went to one party, and the next thing you know, she's going steady with Ed…and she could do a lot better than Ed Peletier. Word is that her momma and daddy don't approve. They probably heard all about what a horndog he was in high school…and her dad's been known to have it out with his pa. Mr. Taylor works at the bank and doesn't like the way Mr. Peletier runs his car lot. Mr. Peletier likes to screw his customers over…charge them a ridiculous amount of money for a lemon. Mr. Taylor don't like that," Kevin prattled on. Daryl supressed a groan. He should have known better than to get Kevin started on something; the man could go on for hours with the gossip. He was worse than a damn girl…and Merle had a theory or two about why that was. After letting Kevin continue talking about the Taylors and the Peletiers for another minute, Daryl began the process of zipping up his plastic coveralls, which were now more brown than white at this point, and reached down for the green neoprene gloves that he was required to wear.

"Hey, I thought it was my turn to go out," Kevin protested, noticing that Daryl was getting ready to go back outside.

"Give me a half-hour," Daryl grumbled. He opened his door and stepped out into the heat, which was made about five degrees hotter by the fucking overalls, and moved to the back of the truck, flicking on the generator and pulling to hose out of its roll. Then he resumed his spraying, squeezing the nozzle and aiming for the trees in the ditch, dousing the leaves with the foul-smelling chemical. In a week's time, those trees would be dead. Merle often wondered if Daryl the tree-hugger ever had an identity crisis over killing the defenceless trees in the ditch. Daryl just told him to fuck off. Kevin pulled the truck forward, creeping up the road, and Daryl began to walk on the shoulder, spraying trees as he went. It was a lame, boring job, but it was still better than driving. Daryl liked being able to stretch his legs and walk. Spraying distracted him and made it so he didn't have to think about the intruder that would be invading his home in six hours.

**_0 - TSR – 0_**

It wasn't in Merle Dixon's nature to help other people unless he was getting something out if it. In this case, he was getting a break on rent money, so he figured that he should lend his new roommate a hand with the bed, the dresser, and the four boxes that Ed had to cart into the house. Daryl still wasn't home from work, which wasn't uncommon. It was a nice, clear day with little to no wind to speak of so chances were that Daryl and Kevin would stay out as long as they had daylight. It was probably for the best, Merle thought as he carried a box labelled 'football trophies' towards the spare room where Ed was cursing as he put the bed together. Daryl could be a fidgety little asshole, especially if he was around new folks. Heck, Merle wouldn't be surprised if Daryl ran straight for his room when he actually got home.

"Wanna hold this end up?" Ed asked, gesturing to the bedframe. Merle set down his box and then walked up. He saw the problem quickly and turned over the piece that Ed was having trouble with.

"Might be easier this way," Merle supplied, holding the piece while Ed screwed it in.

"Fuckin' brain's all fried as hell," Ed grumbled as he worked, "Eight damn hours doing nothing but inventory."

"Ain't that the shit, Man," Merle agreed, "Try ten hours on damn packer goin' back and forth over asphalt all damn day."

"Jesus and I thought I had it bad," Ed chuckled, "What I wouldn't give for a beer and a good fuck."

"I could help ya out in the beer department, but ya on ya own in the fuckin'," Merle said, reaching for another piece of the bedframe.

"Probably am on my own tonight," Ed said sourly, "My girl keeps blowin' me off…and not in the good way. Says she don't wanna get caught sneakin' out of her parents place."

Merle snorted, "The hell? She's still livin' with Ma and Pa? Ya cradle-robbin'?"

"She's livin' at home while she's back from school," Ed explained dryly, "Has all these big ideas about goin' to cookin' school and openin' her own food joint. Pain in the ass, all this schoolin' shit. She don't realize that once we're married, the only asshole she's cookin' for is gonna be me."

Merle laughed as he waited for Ed to screw in the next piece of the bed, "So ya tyin' ya ass down to the broad that ain't into fuckin' ya? Good luck with that."

"Hey, she's into it," Ed corrected, fiddling with his screwdriver, "Took me half-a-damn-year and a few drinks to get into her pants, but now I got her damn near trained. Got rid of all the God-fearin' bullshit that her momma drilled into her head."

"Sounds like ya got ya hands full with that one," Merle observed.

"Yeah, she's a handful, but worth it. Great fuckin' body. Handful of tits. Damn tight too," Ed boasted, "Got her eatin' out of the palm of my hand. Ain't givin' that shit up."

"To each his own, Man," Merle said, "Me…hell, I ain't ever tyin' my ass down. I can feed myself, my baby bro cleans up after me, and I can get me a piece of ass anytime I want. The fuck would I ever want a wife for?" he asked rhetorically, "Let's finish this shit up and get some damn beers."

**_0 – TSR – 0_**

Daryl did not like this new arrangement at all. When he walked in the door around eight, he went right for the shower and then to his room. Now he was standing at his door, hesitant to go out to his own goddamn kitchen to make himself a sandwich. He could hear Merle laughing it up with the new guy on the other side of the door. He cursed himself. He wasn't supposed to feel like a stranger in his own damn home, but here he was, made to feel like he was the outsider simply because there was another body living in the house.

For so long, it had been just Daryl and Merle and Daryl was fine with that. He didn't do strangers. He only interacted with people when he needed to. He had few really close friends, the closest being Merle and Kevin. He preferred it that way. In his experience, people only screwed you over, especially if they didn't know you from Adam. He expected Ed Peletier to be no different.

And now, everything was changing. Daryl would have to adjust to having another person in the house. He'd have to learn to accommodate someone else's schedule and put up with someone else's habits. That seemed like a daunting task.

The rumbling of his stomach reminded him that he was hungry and would need to brave the living room at some point so that he could get to the kitchen. With a steadying breath, he gripped the doorknob and twisted it, pulling the door opened. He stepped into the living room and was greeted enthusiastically by his brother.

"The hell ya been, Boy?" Merle asked, getting to his feet. Daryl noticed that he was swaying a bit, something that wouldn't bode well for work tomorrow.

"Work, shower, and now gettin' food," Daryl answered, trying not to focus on the fact that the new roommate that was sitting in Daryl's spot on the couch.

"Work-o-holic, my baby brother," Merle told his new friend, "He's savin' shit up to be a tree-hugger."

"Shut up, Merle," Daryl sighed wearily. The new guy got to his feet and turned to look at Daryl, who tried to remain as still as he could.

"I'm Ed. Ed Peletier," the man introduced himself.

"Daryl Dixon," Daryl said in kind, shaking the man's hand and letting go at the first opportunity. Ed was exactly like Kevin had described him. He was a bulky guy with the beginnings of what would be a pretty prominent beer gut in a couple years. He had short, dark hair with a stubble beard. He had beady dark eyes that were red-rimmed on account of the joint he had just shared with Merle.

"Nice to meet ya, Man. Gonna have a beer with us?" Ed offered up one of Daryl's own beers to him. Daryl shook his head.

"I'm beat. Gonna chow down and then hit the sack. Five AM comes fast," Daryl declined, moving towards the kitchen to escape the conversation and Merle's teasing. He had a feeling that this roommate thing was going to be an exercise for his patience.

He really wasn't looking forward to it.

**TBC**

**AN: Thank you all for all of the kind words! It was fantastic to hear your thoughts on this. So, Ed is moving in and Daryl doesn't like it. I think I might have channelled a little bit of Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory when I was writing him. Daryl's job as a ditch sprayer is actually based on a job that I did to earn money in the summers. I chose it just because it conflicts with Daryl's desire to become a wildlife biologist and gives Merle plenty of ammunition later on. Kevin is actually based on one of my old co-workers from that job. He'll be popping up quite a bit. We'll get to see more Carol next chapter...and she'll get to meet the Dixons :) **

**Please let me know what you think so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 3**

"You know, you're going to have to talk to Mom and Dad eventually," Catherine said from the edge of the garden as she watched Carol work the soil.

"I talk to them," Carol defended herself as she used the little hand tool to loosen the soil enough so that she would be able to plant a small garden in the backyard. Since moving home, she had visions of freshly dug potatoes and home grown vegetables to use in some of her recipes.

"Saying 'yes' and 'no' don't qualify," Catherine pointed out to her sister, "You've barely looked them in the eye since the whole 'sinning' conversation three days ago."

Carol groaned, "Catherine…"

"They're going to know something's up if you keep avoiding them," Catherine told her, "Clearly you haven't done much lying to Mom and Dad."

"Clearly," Carol deadpanned, "So explain this to me, Little Devil."

"Gladly, Sis," Catherine said, grinning, "See, Mom and Dad are very suspicious creatures. They pick up on your tells, which is why Mom knew you were sinning with Ed almost the second you walked through the front door. You've got to learn to hide it…a poker face."

"Poker face?" Carol asked with a raised eyebrow, "Since when do you play poker?"

"Gil and Jim were trying to teach me and Mary Ellen the other day," Catherine answered, shrugging her shoulders, "The point is that when you lie, especially to Mom and Dad, you've got to believe the lie. You've got to believe that yes, Ed really did sleep on that air mattress. You've got to believe that no, you and Ed haven't sinned. That sort of thing."

Carol stared at her younger sister for a moment with incredulity. Then she shook her head and laughed a little, "Mom and Dad really don't know what they're dealing with when it comes to you, do they?"

"Nope," Catherine said with a wide grin.

"I just hope there are times when you use those superpowers of yours for good," Carol deadpanned, getting to her feet to grab the hoe to begin a row of carrots.

"Of course there are," Catherine said, almost indignantly, "I'm helping you, aren't I?"

"That you are and I appreciate it," Carol thanked her, "It was nice of you to cover for me the other night."

"And yet you still deny me the details," Catherine pouted up at her sister.

"I told you that Ed and I went for a drive," Carol reminded her.

"And what happened on this drive?" Catherine prodded.

Carol groaned, "Catherine…"

"Did you have sex with him?" the younger sister questioned. Carol huffed and glanced up at the house to ensure that their mother was not close to the window and listening in on the conversation.

"Yes," Carol admitted in a whisper, before fixing her sister with a firm gaze.

"In his car?" Catherine asked, "Mary Ellen said that doing it in a car was really uncomfortable."

"It was. It was very cramped," Carol replied in the same low voice, "but he still lived at home and I couldn't bring him here…at least he's got his own place now."

"So you guys have your own little love nest?" Catherine teased.

Carol shook her head in exasperation, "Not exactly. He has two roommates…the Dixon brothers, whoever they are."

"They're new," Catherine replied, "Mary Ellen's older sister works down at Ernie's bar and she says that she sees them most weekends. I guess she had a thing for the older one, but he's kind of a womanizer so it didn't work."

"He sounds charming," Carol replied sarcastically.

"He must be," Catherine said, "I've heard he's had a lot of women in town."

Carol shook her head and asked, "What about the younger one?"

Catherine shrugged, "I dunno. You never hear much about him. It's always about the older one. Maybe you'll get to meet them."

"I suppose I'll have to," Carol said, not really too enthused about the prospect of meeting a womanizer, but if he was Ed's roommate, she supposed that she ought to, "I'm thinking of cooking dinner there for Ed tonight."

"And have you told Mom?" Catherine asked, raising an eyebrow. Carol froze and grimaced.

"Crap."

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol lingered in the doorway of the kitchen, watching as her mother cooked at the stove. Even now, three days later, thoughts of the 'sinning' conversation had made it hard for Carol to look her mother in the eye. Rose Peletier had zeroed in on the nature of Carol's relationship with Ed in a matter of seconds. She knew that Carol had not followed her rules. Oh, but if only she knew how much…

Carol had lost her virginity to Ed and though it hurt and she had been a little drunk at the time, it still seemed okay. She knew how disappointed her mother would be if she ever found out, but her mother didn't understand that it was a different time. People didn't wait for marriage anymore. Besides, Carol loved Ed and someday, she was going to marry him. That had to make it okay, right?

Carol didn't know for sure, but she did know that she couldn't go on tip-toeing around her mother for the next four months. Catherine was right about that. Honestly, Carol didn't know where her little sister got her wisdom from, but there were times when Carol felt like the younger one.

Carol took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen, where she was immediately set to work by her mother, "Carol, chop those onions for me. I need to get this roast in the oven if it's going to be ready by the time your daddy gets home from the bank."

"Yes, Mama," Carol said, obediently setting to work while silently mustering up the nerve to tell her mother about her plans for the evening. After a moment or two, she spit it out, "Mama, I'm not going to be home for supper."

Rose looked over at her daughter with a raised eyebrow, "And why not?"

"Well, I…I was going to cook Ed supper," Carol admitted, "He just moved into a new place and-"

"You're going to a man's house, alone, to cook him supper?" Rose questioned, "Are you his wife now?"

"No, Ma'am, and we wouldn't be alone. He has two roommates," Carol supplied, hoping that if her mother knew that Carol and Ed wouldn't be alone, she wouldn't make such a fuss about it.

"And why can't Mr. Ed Peletier come over here for supper?" Rose asked, "We would have more than enough food and I know your daddy is very interested in talking with this boy."

"Maybe some other time, Mama," Carol said, "Right now he's still in the middle of unpacking and I wouldn't want to tear him away from it. I just want to do something nice for him."

Rose sighed wearily, "I suppose that would be nice for him, Carol, but you remember that at some point, your father and I are going to have to meet this boy. The fact that we haven't yet makes us wonder just what his intentions are."

"His intentions are good," Carol insisted, frowning slightly.

"Be that as it may, your father and I would feel much better about you going off to see him if we were to meet him," Rose continued, "And don't give me that face, Carol Ann. One day when you have a teenaged daughter, you'll understand why we need to meet him."

"Yes, Mama," Carol said, knowing that life was easiest when she agreed with her mother even though she couldn't fathom ever having a teenage daughter.

**_0 – TSR - 0_**

Daryl groaned as the doorbell went off a third time. Up until this point, he hadn't even been aware that they had a doorbell. It became apparent that Merle and Ed were not willing to leave their lawn chairs and beer out in the backyard, so Daryl hauled himself out of his bedroom so that he could talk to whoever was calling on them. He wrenched opened the door, expecting one of Merle's work buddies or one of Ed's friends.

He did not expect for there to be a girl there.

She was a few inches shorter than Daryl with curly auburn hair pulled back into a messy sort of bun. She wore a white button-up blouse with short sleeves and a plain navy, knee-high skirt. She looked far too proper to be standing on his dumpy front step. She stared at him expectantly with blue eyes that could put the sky to shame. He swallowed back the saliva that pooled in his mouth and asked, "Uh…can I…uh…help ya?"

"Yeah. I think my boyfriend lives here. Ed Peletier," she said. Then it clicked for Daryl. This was Ed's girlfriend, the one that Kevin had prattled on about a couple of days ago.

"Right," he said, "Uh, yeah, he does. He's out back with Merle…uh…my brother."

"Great," she replied, smiling brightly at him and once again, he was wondering what the hell this pretty little thing was doing on his doorstep. She held out her hand to him and introduced herself, "I'm Carol. Carol Taylor."

There was a pause before Daryl remembered that there was some social etiquette that needed to be followed in this situation. He clasped her small, soft hand in his larger, stained one and said his name, "Daryl Dixon."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Dixon," she told him sweetly, "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Daryl said, moving out of her way to let her enter the house. Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the empty cans on the coffee table and the ashtray of cigarettes. He noticed the floor was dirty from Merle kicking off his boots and that Daryl's ratty coveralls were ruffled in the corner. The place was a pig sty. He refused to comment, though, and led her into the kitchen, where there was a small pile of dishes in the sink, which was actually pretty good, an empty chip bag on the counter, and a plate with the crusts of a sandwich on the table. He stepped out the patio doors, a little relieved to find Ed and Merle were just drinking and not doing anything illegal. He didn't know exactly why he cared what this woman thought of his home and brother. Maybe it was simply that he didn't want her to see him as a slob…though again he had no idea why he suddenly cared about what she thought of him. Ed got up off of his lawn chair as if burned.

"Carol! I thought I told you I'd pick you up," Ed protested, walking over to the woman. Merle paused mid-sip to look over at the patio, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline as he watched Ed kiss the girl on the cheek.

"I didn't want to bother you," she told him, "I know you're busy with unpacking."

"Uh, yeah. Just takin' a break with my new roommate here," Ed said, making up an excuse as to why he was not unpacking his shit.

"Merle Dixon," Merle introduced himself, getting up off his chair to shake her hand, "Ya must be Carol."

"I am," Carol replied with a smile, "It's nice to meet you, Merle."

"Mighty nice meetin' ya too, Darlin'," Merle echoed her, giving her a wide smile, "Now what brings ya over to our little piece of paradise?" he asked.

"Well, I was going to see if Ed wanted me to fix him somethin' to eat," Carol replied, bestowing him with one of her kind smiles.

"Ya came over here just to cook him dinner?" Daryl ejected before he could stop himself. That did not add up. Why in the hell would a girl like that be catering to someone like Ed? In the two days that Ed had been living with the Dixons, Daryl was of the opinion that Ed was even lazier than Merle could be at times and that he drank just as much.

"I thought it might be nice for Ed to have a home-cooked meal after a hard week at work," Carol replied, "My mama always said that a well-fed man is a happy man."

"Well, ya ain't wrong there, Darlin'," Ed told her with a chuckle, "Could really go for some good cooked food."

"I stopped at the store and got a chicken and some vegetables," she said brightly, "I know chicken's your favourite."

"Well, Darlin', I'll show ya the kitchen then," Ed offered, a wide grin on his face as he directed her inside. Daryl stared after them, the perplexed look never leaving his face. He glanced over at his brother and saw that Merle was wearing a similar look of disbelief.

"Ain't what I pictured her as what with the way Ol' Ed described her," Merle said, scratching his head with the hand that wasn't holding his beer, "Sweet Lil' Thing, ain't she?"

"Yeah," Daryl agreed, "The hell she doin' with his ugly ass?"

Merle chuckled, "No wonder he wants to marry that one. She's one fine-lookin' lady, Lil' Brother."

Daryl, who had never heard his brother speak approvingly about marriage before, looked over at Merle incredulously and asked, "What happen to the 'ain't no bitch tyin' me down for no damn reason' thing?"

"Hey, I ain't marryin' her, Brother, but I can see the damn appeal," Merle said, "Lil' thing like that with a good-lookin' body, pretty smile, and a personality as sweet as fuckin' cotton candy is one of them girls that ya latch onto tight if they'll have ya. They don't make 'em like that anymore. Too damn rich for our blood, though, Brother."

Daryl grunted in agreement, but his eyes kept wandering back to the patio door, even when Ed returned to the backyard. Daryl didn't have much experience with women, but the one that was in his kitchen was intriguing the hell out of him. He supposed it was because there was now a female in what had been a predominantly male dwelling.

That had to be it…right?

**_0 – TSR – 0 _**

Carol stood at the sink, washing the dishes that had been left there as she waited for the chicken to cook in the oven. All in all, the house was pretty clean for three men living alone, even if there were a couple of small things that needed to be tidied up. She was happy for Ed. She knew that he had been getting pretty frustrated living with his parents and now, he had the freedom that Carol often craved. He seemed to get along pretty well with his roommates. Even now, she could hear him laughing with the older Dixon brother. Merle seemed nice, nothing like she had expected after talking with her sister, and it seemed as though he and Ed were very similar. They were both outgoing with a charming smile. They both enjoyed sitting with a beer and telling their stories. It was nice that Ed had a friend. After his car accident, he had lost touch with all of his old football friends.

"Ya don't gotta do that," a voice from near the table had Carol turning around. She found the youngest Dixon brother standing there, his sharp blue gaze fixated on the sink full of sudsy water.

"I don't mind," she replied, giving him a smile.

"I meant to do it after my shower," he said, running his hand through his long, damp brown hair, "Don't usually let them dishes pile up."

"It happens. People get busy," Carol shrugged, returning to her task. She didn't hear him as he padded across the floor and jumped a little when she caught sight of him in her periphery. He picked up a cloth and began to dry the clean dishes that she pulled out of the sink.

"You don't have to do that. I don't mind," Carol told him again. She had been brought up in a household where the domestic chores were taken care of by her, her mother, and her sister.

"They ain't your dishes," Daryl reminded her, opening up a cupboard to put a plate away. She said nothing more on the subject and neither did he. They worked together in silence to work through the dishes. Every so often, Carol would look over at him out of the corner of her eye.

While Merle was more outgoing, Daryl seemed downright shy. He was quiet, rarely saying anything and speaking in low tones. There were times were it seemed that he tried to make himself as small as possible, like he was trying to blend into the wall. He also seemed to be very self-conscious, almost embarrassed of the small messes that could be found in his house. For being around her age, he seemed almost too mature, much more so than Merle, who had to be at least ten years older than Carol. She wondered how long the Dixons had been in town. She had certainly never heard of them before. She was about to ask when Ed and Merle entered the kitchen, both looking for another beer.

"Looks like we got our women takin' care of the dishes," Merle teased Ed, who chuckled at the joke. Carol looked over to Daryl, who rolled his eyes, but otherwise didn't respond to the taunts.

"How long 'til supper, Baby?" Ed asked, opening the fridge and passing a beer to Merle before taking one for himself.

"About twenty minutes," Carol replied.

"Well, smells good, Darlin'," Merle told her, "Much better than anythin' Lil' Brother cooks up."

"I'll remember that shit come huntin' season and ya want venison," Daryl mumbled.

"Wish it was huntin' season," Merle sighed wistfully, "Then there'd be some decent food 'round here."

Carol laughed, "Well, you're in for a treat tonight, Merle. My mama makes the best roast chicken in three counties and I happen to know the recipe."

"That's mighty kind of ya, Darlin'," Merle said, "Mighty kind indeed."

He strolled back outside with his beer, but Ed didn't follow him. Instead, Ed spoke to Daryl, "We can finish up here. Why don't you go talk to Merle?"

Daryl's eyebrows shot up and he gave Ed a look, but he said nothing as he followed the path his brother had taken moments before. Carol turned and smiled at Ed, who was leaning against the opposite counter.

"They seem nice," she said, placing a few forks on the counter.

"Good enough guys," Ed agreed, "They mooch a little bit. You don't have to feed them, Carol."

"I don't mind, Ed," Carol said with a chuckle, "They're your friends. I don't mind cooking for them."

"Still ain't right," Ed insisted, watching her dry some of the dishes on the counter, "You came here to cook for me, not them."

"I came here to cook for all of you," Carol corrected gently, "I don't even want to think about how long it's been since those poor men had a home-cooked meal."

"If they want a home-cooked meal, they oughta go find their own damn women and stop takin' advantage of mine," Ed snapped, "Carol Ann, you're too damn sweet for your own good."

"I'm just being decent, Ed," Carol maintained, "Besides, there's more than enough food to go around."

"Still," Ed said, moving to wrap his arms around her middle, "men like this take advantage of any act of kindness. They think it's in invitation right into a woman's pants. Don't want them thinkin' of you that way, Darlin'."

"Ed, I don't think Daryl and Merle are like that," Carol insisted, "They're sweet."

"Just remember who you belong to, Girl," Ed reminded her, "Only man around this place that ya ought to be cookin' for is me."

**TBC**

**AN: So Carol has met the Dixons...and she seems pretty fond of them. Ed's not too pleased, though. Originally the start of this chapter was different, but I figured that Carol needed more time with her sis. Hope you enjoyed! Hopefully the next chapter's up in the next couple of days. Carol, Ed, and the Dixons are going to have their meal together. Not skipping that one :)**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 4**

Daryl was brooding. He had basically been told to get the hell out of his own damn kitchen by the newcomer and that bothered him. He didn't dare voice his displeasure, though. He knew that would only get him more teasing from his brother. So he sat there in the lawn chair, beer in hand, while he listened to Merle and Ed bullshit some more. It was getting tiresome, but just as he was about to get up and leave those two assholes to jaw on, the little woman poked her head out the door and called them in for supper.

And dammit, Daryl had to admit that for the first time in his memory, the kitchen smelt the best it had ever smelt. The roast chicken sat in the middle of the table, along with a bowl of boiled potatoes and another bowl of greens. Four places were set, complete with a glass of water for each of them.

"Hope you boys are hungry," Carol said, smiling brightly.

"Starvin'," Merle gushed, looking like he was ready to get down on his knees and propose marriage. He made a beeline for his spot, the one nearest to the living room.

"It looks good," Ed complimented, sitting down in what was Daryl's spot. It was the chair closest to the window and Daryl found himself biting back a snarl. He grudgingly sat his ass down in the chair trapped in between the walls since Carol occupied the one that was closest to the kitchen. To say that Daryl felt trapped in was an understatement. He felt like a cornered animal and he twitched his fingers anxiously. Merle was already dishing up, taking his piece of chicken before sending it towards their cook, who took a small portion. Her meaty boyfriend made up for her small portion by taking two large pieces. Daryl took a moderate piece and then waited for the vegetables and the potatoes to be passed to him…only when he got the dishes, there was only about a spoonful of each left. Daryl looked at the heaping plate of food that the man to his right had in front of him and felt more annoyance directed at Ed Peletier. Daryl stabbed his fork into one of his four baby potatoes and brought it up to his mouth only to have it knocked away by Merle.

"The hell?" Daryl snapped.

"Boy, I raised ya better'n that. Gotta say the blessin'," Merle said, offering Carol one of his most charming smiles. Daryl let his fork fall to his plate with a clatter and crossed his arms petulantly over his chest. Merle was a part-time believer, praying and giving thanks only when the mood struck him. Daryl didn't believe and didn't pretend to. What had God ever done for him? How many times had Daryl asked why He had taken Daryl's momma and received no answer? How many times had Daryl prayed for God to stop his daddy from beating on him and had received no such help? Still, he listened as Merle thanked the almighty for the food. Then he took up his fork and stabbed at his potato again.

"This is about the best damn meal I ever ate," Merle gushed over the food, "Ya got a real talent, there, Missy."

"Thank you, Merle," Carol replied with a blush, "I actually just finished my first year of culinary school."

"Is that a fact?" Merle said, "Well, Honey, that was one well-spent year because this food in delicious."

"What do you do, Merle?" Carol asked, trying to divert the topic to something else.

"I work road repair for the county," Merle replied, "Fix up them roads to make sure no one gets hurt," he boasted. Daryl supressed a groan at the flirting and finished up with his potatoes, getting ready to start on his greens.

"And you, Daryl?" Carol questioned, looking across the table at him. Daryl hurriedly tried to swallow what was in his mouth, but his brother answered for him.

"Daryl's a ditch sprayer," Merle supplied, "Walks the roads and sprays chemicals on trees."

"Oh," Carol said, "That sounds…interesting."

"It ain't," Daryl grumbled.

"He don't like it none 'cause he's a tree-hugger a heart," Merle told Carol, "Gives him one of them identity crisis things 'cause he's a tree-hugger that's sellin' out to kill trees for money."

"Shut up, Merle," Daryl groaned, sick of Merle's shit, "Ain't no damn tree-hugger."

"He's savin' up money for some environmental tree-huggin' course," Merle volunteered, smirking over at Daryl who let his head fall back so he could look at the ceiling fan instead of Merle's face.

"So it's an environmental course?" Carol asked, "Like protecting the environment?"

"It's a Bachelor's Degree of Science," Daryl corrected, turning his attention back to his plate. He saw her eyebrow raise in surprise.

"Wow, that's really impressive!" she said, "You must be pretty smart."

Daryl grunted in acknowledgement, but didn't say anything. That was the usual reaction he got whenever he told somebody about his plans. People always seemed to be surprised that he wanted to go to school. Most thought he was just some dumb hick. It surprised them to learn that he made high marks in all of his high school classes. He had needed to if he wanted to become a wildlife biologist, so he put in the extra effort needed to make the grade in all of his classes, not just biology.

"So you're going to be one of those nerdy science types?" Ed asked disdainfully, "Doubt there's good money in lookin' down test tubes all day."

Daryl shrugged, though he really wanted to say that he doubted there was good money sitting on one's ass in a hardware store, but he refrained. As Merle had reminded him over the past few days, they needed Ed to help out with rent.

"One day, I'm going to own the store," Ed declared, "I'll make a killing."

Daryl doubted it, but focused on quickly shoving food into his mouth. He wanted to escape the dinner.

"How'd ya figure?" Merle wondered.

"Right now, Mike has his prices set too low. It's a wonder the store's still in business," Ed said, shaking his head, "When I get my hands on it, I'm raising prices."

"And pissin' people off," Daryl muttered, earning him a glare from Ed.

"What'd you say?"

Daryl huffed and wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering, "Raisin' prices'll piss people off. Ain't no big thing for nobody to drive to the Home Depot in Barksdale and pick up tools cheap."

"Pfft," Ed scoffed, "Ever hear of customer loyalty?"

"If ya an asshole, ain't nobody gonna be loyal to ya," Daryl replied simply. Ed got to his feet quickly.

"You callin' me an asshole?" he demanded.

"_If_," Daryl corrected, getting to his own feet, "_If _ya act like an asshole. Didn't say ya are one," he clarified, though really, he thought Ed was a prime candidate for asshole of the year.

"Ed, sit down," Carol told her boyfriend anxiously. Ed glowered at Daryl, but sat back down. Daryl did not. He squeezed by Merle and took what was left of his plate to the sink. He scarfed down the last two bites and let his plate clatter in the sink loudly. He walked to the hallway, pausing for a moment to look back at the table.

"Thanks for supper," he said as an afterthought before he retreated to his room.

**_0-TSR-0_**

It was a little awkward after Daryl left, but Merle brushed it off by saying that Daryl had always been the more dramatic one. Ed had muttered something under his breath, but he went back to his plate. Carol, on the other hand, was distracted. She was thinking about Daryl and what had led him to storm away. Ed and Merle had been really rude to him, teasing him about his ambition to get his Bachelors of Science, and he had just sat there, letting their comments roll off him. Really aside from him telling his brother to shut up, Daryl hadn't really defended himself. It was almost as if he expected the teasing and had learnt that fighting back didn't always work out for him. Then when he called Ed out on his plans for the hardware store, he got snapped at. For a moment there, Carol had been afraid that it would come to blows. She had seen Ed get into a couple of fights and she didn't want to witness another one. She had been relieved when Ed backed down, but that still didn't stop Daryl from leaving. It was almost like he was running away, but he still took the time to thank her for the meal.

"Well, that was fantastic, Darlin'," Merle crowed, leaning back in his chair.

"Thank you, Merle," Carol replied, "I'm afraid I didn't bring dessert…"

"I couldn't if I wanted to, Sweetheart," Merle told her, shaking his head. Carol smiled at the compliment and got up to clear the table. She listened to Ed and Merle talk while she did the dishes. It was something about hunting and Carol easily tuned them out as she completed her task. As she let the water drain, she felt Ed's presence behind her. Then he took her by the arm and tugged her down the hall. He led her into a door and shut it.

"Oh, this is your room," Carol said, "It looks nice."

She turned back to look at her boyfriend and found him whipping off his shirt. She turned about fifty shades of red.

"Oh. Uh, Ed, maybe not-"

He growled and pulled her against him, his lips hungrily devouring hers. When Carol felt her knees hit the edge of the bed, she pressed her hands to his chest and pushed.

"Ed, I don't think this is a good idea-"

"Ain't no one interruptin' us," Ed said, tugging at the buttons on her blouse.

"Ed-"

"Stop thinkin' so damn much," he grunted, bringing his hands up to squeeze her bra-covered breasts, making her stomach tighten at the contact, "You know you want this. Say you want it."

"I…I…"

"Say it," he demanded, sliding one hand up to clutch at her throat to force her to look in his eyes. His other hand slipped down to her skirt.

"I…I want this," Carol stammered to make him happy, though inside, she felt nervous, just as she did anytime they were about to be intimate.

"Take off your clothes and get on the bed," he ordered, giving her a little push. She did as she was told, piling her clothes on the floor as Ed shucked his pants and underwear and grabbed a condom. Carol averted her eyes and focused on covering her own modesty as he got onto the bed with her. He pulled her hands away from her body and settled over her, demanding, "Tell me who you belong to."

"You," she answered, knowing that was what he wanted to hear almost anytime they made love. She bit her lower lip as he pushed inside her. She felt the familiar sting as he thrust in and out of her.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl glared up at the ceiling, his irritation with his new roommate increasing as he listened to the sounds on the other side of the wall that he shared with Ed. He listened to the grunts of the man and the sounds of the headboard as it beat against the wall.

"Fucker," Daryl muttered to himself, tossing the hunting magazine to the side and running his hands through his hair. Daryl couldn't understand how that asshole managed to get laid at all, let alone by the sweet, proper young woman that had made them all supper. He just didn't get it. He didn't get it at all. He supposed that Ed's family was well off, given the state of all of the crap that Ed had brought into the house, and he was sure that Carol's family was just as well off. Maybe that was it. Same social class. Isn't that how it always works out? You can be an asshole, but if you've got money, you get what you want.

He listened to the banging and hoped that the wall wasn't being dented. He wanted his damage deposit back someday and he knew that Lenny the landlord would be pretty damn anal in an inspection.

He heard another loud grunt from Ed and cursed the man's existence.

"Fuck!" Ed swore in the next room as the headboard thumping against the wall increased, "Who d'ya belong to?" he demanded of his partner. Daryl snorted and tried to stifle his laughter at the asinine question. He didn't hear Carol's response, but then Ed let out a long groan. The thumping ceased and Daryl looked at his alarm clock and smirked. He doubted Carol even got time to get going and from the relative quiet on the part of the woman, he was certain that was the case.

The thought that Ed finished too fast to satisfy a woman made Daryl smirk for the first time all evening.

_**0-TSR-0**_

Ed rolled over onto his back and rested his arm over his eyes. Carol looked over at him, her body covered by the sheet, and found that once again, she felt dirty. Her mama's lectures about sinning came back to her full force. They were always in the back of her mind, but being back in the same town brought those lectures up to the forefront. Carol tried to breathe. She tried to remind herself that someday, she would marry this man. He would be her husband, so it wasn't sinning.

"You stayin'?" Ed grunted, wiping the sweat from his brow with his sweaty arm, making the process moot.

"I can't. I have to be home by ten," Carol refused, making him groan.

"Carol Ann, you're a goddamn adult," he griped, "Ya don't need no damn curfew."

"They're my parents and I'm living under their roof," Carol reminded him.

"And I'm your boyfriend," he shot back, "What if I get lonely in the night?"

"Ed, I can't," she insisted, her voice hesitant as she took in his put-out expression. She felt guilty for making him look like that.

"Fine," he moaned, rolling over onto his side, "Ya might as well go, then, 'cause I'm goin' to sleep."

"Okay," Carol said, getting out of his bed to gather her clothes. She always hated this part. It was awkward that one of them would have to find their clothes and leave the other to sleep. She dressed quickly and stood at the foot of the bed, "Bye, Ed. I love you."

She got a grunt in response and let herself out of the room. For the first time, she understood what the walk of shame felt like, especially when Merle called out to her from the couch in the living room.

"What ya doin' creepin' round like a lil' mouse, Sweetheart?" he asked, looking at his watch with a smirk, "Leavin' so soon?"

"I have to get home," Carol answered, feeling like he knew exactly what she just did, "My mama would have a fit."

"Of course," Merle said with a bob of his head, "Well, hope ya enjoyed yaself, Darlin'. Ya come on back now anytime…even if ya just wanna visit with Ol' Merle," he told her, shooting her a charming smile.

"Thank you, Merle," she said, moving for the door when he called out again.

"Hey, Mouse?"

Carol turned around, frowning at the nickname and asked, "What?"

"Ya shirt ain't buttoned right," he informed her. Carol glanced down and found that she had indeed missed a button. She hastened to fix it.

"Thank you, Merle," she said again.

"Anytime, Darlin'," Merle replied, saluting her as she walked out the door.

**TBC**

**AN: Yeah...I felt dirty writing the whole Ed/Carol sex scene. **

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 5**

"You look like shit," Kevin observed the following Monday morning.

"Ya can blame thing one and thing two for that," Daryl growled, putting the truck into drive so that they could get out to their road, "All fuckin' weekend those two was makin' my life hell."

"Is Ed still a prick?" Kevin asked, curious, "He used to pick on the freshmen when we were in high school.

"Yep," Daryl answered with a yawn, "Don't know what his girl sees in him."

"You met Carol?" Kevin questioned, perking up with interest.

"Yep."

"She's great, isn't she? She's probably one of the nicest people I've ever met," Kevin gushed.

Daryl shrugged, "Seems alright. Cooked us dinner Friday night."

"I bet she's a great cook," Kevin said, "Her mama used to help out with the pancake breakfast at the fourth of July picnic and they were the best pancakes I've ever had."

Daryl nodded his head. Kevin appreciated good cooking and knew who made the best meals in town. Of course Kevin would know all about Mrs. Taylor's pancakes. Daryl shrugged his shoulders again, "It was pretty good chicken."

"Ya'll should've invited me over," Kevin said.

"Pfft," Daryl scoffed, "Wouldn't've been enough greens or potatoes for all of us. Swear Ol' Ed ate everythin' on the table just so me and Merle wouldn't get anythin'."

Kevin chuckled, "Yep, sounds like Ed's still an asshole. I still can't figure out what Carol Ann's doing with him."

"Neither can I," Daryl admitted, "Neither can I."

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol didn't want to spend her summer holidays cooped up in the house with her mother, so she had spent her first week at home searching for a job. She found one at the Harvest Garden, a small restaurant frequented by the farmers in the area. Though she was just a waitress, she figured that having a job in a restaurant would look good on any future resumes. The Harvest Garden was a couple of miles out of town, but it saw a lot of business as it was just off the interstate. She enjoyed her work, even if it was exhausting. There were only two other waitresses on staff, Jacqui and Helen; a busboy, Brian; Mona, the manager; and Frankie, the cook. The lunchtime rush was especially bad, but she felt as if she passed some sort of test when the last of the customers left.

"Hundred dollars in tips," Helen crowed, thrilled as she gazed at the tip jar to be divided between the three waitresses and the busboy, "That's what, thirty a piece?"

"Try twenty-five," Jacqui corrected, rolling her eyes, "Honestly, Girl, where did you learn your math?"

"Easy!" Helen protested, "I just started here a month ago. I'm not a math genius yet."

Jacqui raised her eyebrows at the blond before she turned to Carol, "Honey, I hope you've got some smarts in that head of yours."

"I've been told I'm too smart for my own good," Carol replied with a grin. She liked Jacqui. The black woman had worked at the Garden for three years, earning money to support her husband, who had recently got laid off, and her twin five-year-old boys, Kyle and Luke.

"You can never be too smart, Honey," Jacqui corrected, "Like I tell my boys, you never stop learnin'."

"My boyfriend might disagree," Carol admitted, "Says with how expensive schooling is, I'm better off to just work until we get married."

Jacqui snorted, "You tell your boyfriend that the schoolin' will pay off in the end. I'd tan my boys' backsides if they ever fed me a line like that. They're finishin' high school and I don't care if their daddy and I have to sell our house, they're both goin' to college."

Carol opened her mouth to respond when the bell at the door dinged, signalling that they had new customers. She glanced over to the door and nearly started when she saw Daryl Dixon strolling over to a booth with Kevin Jones in tow. She hadn't expected to see two people that she recognized. Most of the folks from Cranwall tended to eat at the Skyway Chinese joint, the Burger Baron, or Alzone's Italian restaurant.

"I got this, Jacqui," Carol said, grabbing up two menus and walking towards the two men. Daryl's back was to her, but Kevin's face lit up when he saw her.

"Carol Ann!" he exclaimed, getting up to give her a hug, "I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Hello, Kev," Carol greeted, returning the hug, "What have you been up to?"

"Not much," Kevin said, sitting down opposite of Daryl, who offered her a small nod of acknowledgement, "Just working for the county spraying ditches with my man, Daryl, here. You know Daryl, right?"

"Yeah, we've met. Ed's staying with Daryl and his brother," Carol responded with a smile, "Can I start you boys off with some water?" she asked, taking in the sweaty appearance of both men.

"Be great, thanks," Daryl said with a nod. Carol set to work getting the water for them while watching their table. Kevin was saying something in that enthusiastic way of his and Daryl was nodding along to whatever, looking bored. He glanced over at Carol and caught her eye as she moved forward with the water. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but they seemed bluer now in the brightly lit diner than they had on Friday in the cramped kitchen of his home. She averted he eyes to focus on walking to the table without tripping over her feet.

"Here we are," she said, placing the glasses on the table, "Do you boys know what you want?"

"Double cheese burger, loaded, with fries and gravy," Kevin said, "And maybe a slice of apple pie?"

"I should've known," Carol chuckled. All through high school, Kevin always had a slice of pie in his lunch. His parents lived on one of those u-pick fruit plantations and his mother always made excellent pie.

Kevin grinned at her and gestured to Daryl, "What're you having, Buddy?"

"Pulled-pork sandwich sounds good," Daryl said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Carol replied, "Do you want a side with that or…"

"Just the sandwich is good," Daryl told her.

"Yeah, he's gotta watch his figure," Kevin joked. Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Shut up before I make ya shut up," he replied, though Carol could tell that he wasn't serious in his threat. She left them to banter back and forth and delivered their order to Frankie. She was going to go sit with Helen and Jacqui to wait for the orders to be up, but Kevin waved her over.

"Carol Ann, come sit with us for a bit," he invited her.

"Kevin, I'm working-"

"C'mon for old time's sake," Kevin encouraged with that goofy grin of his. Carol sighed and sat down beside Kevin, unable to argue with him. Kevin had been a good friend in high school, even though he got picked on a lot due to him being a little chubby and his quirkiness. A lot of people called him a queer and bullied him as such. That never mattered much to Carol. Those were just things that people said. It didn't mean they were true.

"Alright, you've got me sitting. Now what, Kev?"

"Tell me about Atlanta," Kevin encouraged, "Must've been nice getting out of this town."

"It was," Carol admitted, "It was so big, though. Almost too big. And so many people."

"Sounds great," Kevin said, "I can't wait to get out of here. Only four more months."

"And then what?" Carol asked.

"Then I'm going to be going in for civil engineering," Kevin told her, smiling even wider at the thought, "It's gonna be great!"

"Wow, that's great, Kev. I'm happy for you. I know how much you wanted to get into engineering," Carol said, happy that he was finally doing something he wanted to do. For a long time, Kevin had felt just like Carol did: trapped in the small town. That was one of the reasons that they were close in high school.

"Thanks," Kevin replied before looking across the table at his quiet friend, "Did you know Daryl's thinking of going to school too?"

"Right," Carol remembered, "For a science degree, right?"

Daryl looked reluctant to be pulled into the conversation, but he nodded his head and confirmed her statement, "That's the goal."

"He wants to be a wildlife biologist," Kevin supplied when it became apparent that Daryl wasn't offering up any more details, "He wants to be one of those guys that lives in the woods and surveys wildlife. Kind of like the Jane Goodall of Georgia."

Daryl scowled at the description and shook his head, "Ain't like that."

"Then what is it like?" Carol asked, genuinely curious. She had heard him be called a tree-hugger and the Jane Goodall of Georgia, both labels that he apparently didn't like. Daryl sighed, like he was gearing up to do something particularly unpleasant.

"Wildlife biologists study animals either in the wild or in zoos and shit. They observe animals and look at things that affect the population, like disease or human actions. What ya do with that info depends on the job ya doin'. Could be that ya givin' the state info on the animals in an area so ya can come up with huntin' regulations. Could be that ya workin' with zoos to help'em care for animals," Daryl explained. It was the most that she had heard him speak and as he spoke more about it, Carol could hear the excitement in his voice. It was the same sort of excitement that was in her voice when she talked about having her own restaurant. He continued, "They try to keep the other humans from fuckin' with nature. They try to…" he paused, seeming to catch himself as he got too excited. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "It's better'n some things."

"That sounds like a really good cause," Carol said, smiling reassuringly at him, "It sounds like you're pretty passionate about it."

Daryl shrugged his shoulders again and looked her through his fringe of hair. She saw so much hesitation, a reluctance to verbalize his thoughts on the matter, and she wondered what he was holding back. She wondered what he was guarding against.

"That shrug means, 'yes, yes he is passionate about it'," Kevin translated, "We're still working on him using his words."

Daryl wearily shook his head and muttered, "Shut up, Kevin," under his breath.

Before Carol could say too much more, their order was up. She went to retrieve it and left them to their meal in peace. She sat back with Jacqui and Helen.

"Friends of yours?" Jacqui wondered.

"Kevin and I went to school together. Daryl is my boyfriend's roommate," Carol explained.

"Which one's Daryl?" Helen asked, the blond leaning over the countertop.

"The long-haired one," Carol answered.

"He is cute," Helen observed, "He got a girlfriend?"

"I dunno," Carol responded, "I've only met him a couple of times."

"You should find out for me," Helen encouraged her with a grin, "He is cute."

Carol shrugged her shoulders and agreed. What harm could it do to find out if Daryl was single or not?

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl felt like complete shit as he turned down his street. It had been windy in the afternoon, not enough that they had to quit spraying, but enough that Daryl got a face full of chemical every now and then. He felt dirty. All he wanted was a long shower, a halfway decent meal, and then a long sleep.

But apparently, the universe wasn't on his side.

A blue car sat in front of his house and the owner of that car was sitting on his front step. With a groan, he pulled his truck into the drive and got out.

"Hi," he greeted the little woman he had seen in the diner earlier that day. Carol Taylor smiled brightly at him.

"Hey," she said, getting to her feet, "Sorry. Ed told me to meet him here after work, but he's a little late," she explained with a resigned shrug of her shoulders.

"Shitty deal," he observed, "What time was ya supposed to meet him?"

"Four-thirty," she answered. Daryl raised his eyebrows. His clock on his truck had read five-thirty-three.

"He's more than a little late. Ya been here a damn hour at least," Daryl grumbled, shaking his head at the idiocy of his roommate, "Ya been sittin' on the step the whole damn time?"

"Yeah, but I had a book," Carol said, holding up a tattered volume of 'Sense and Sensibility' as if that made Ed's tardiness okay.

Daryl shook his head and gestured to the door, "Ya wanna come in? Wait inside?"

Carol smiled and nodded, "That would be great."

She followed him inside, watching him take off his boots in the entry way. Daryl was well aware that he probably stunk like body odor and chemical and was more than eager for that shower. Still, it was probably rude to leave her by herself. He stood awkwardly after he was done with his boots and brought his hand up to his mouth to gnaw on his thumb.

"Uh, I…uh…smell real bad. I'm…uh…gonna go shower quick," he told her.

"Alright," Carol said, "I'll just…um…make myself at home?"

"Yeah. Do that," Daryl replied with a nod before scurrying off to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

It was probably the quickest shower of his life. He didn't even properly dry himself, making it a struggle for him to get his dry clothes onto his slick body. He didn't want to leave the woman by herself for very long. He tumbled out of the bathroom and moved through the house until he found her tidying up the living room.

"The hell ya doin'?" he asked, startling her enough to make her jump.

"Oh, sorry. I just thought I might clean up a bit-"

"Ya ain't gotta," Daryl said quickly, "Was gonna get to it later."

"It's okay, Daryl," Carol said with a light laugh, "I understand. A house with just three men living in it isn't going to be the cleanest of places."

Daryl chewed on his lip and shrugged his shoulders. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of the woman cleaning his home. It was the principle of it. It wasn't her mess. Half the time, it wasn't even Daryl's, but he didn't want her thinking that he was a slob. Again, he had no idea why he was so concerned about what she thought and it only served to agitate him more. Carol's smile faltered a little as she took in his appearance, almost able to read that he was uncomfortable.

"Look, I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to say anything-"

"Ain't nothin'," Daryl told her, "Ain't no big thing. Uh…we could, uh…go sit in the yard," he suggested in an effort to get off the topic. Carol's smile returned and she nodded.

"That sounds great," she said sincerely. Daryl gave her a little half-smile and turned to venture into the kitchen, stopping at the fridge to grab a beer. He paused as he was about to shut the door, once again remembering his social etiquette.

"Uh, ya want one?" he offered, glancing up at her. For the first time, he saw uncertainty in her face.

"I've actually never had one," Carol responded. Daryl's eyebrows shot up.

"Never?"

"Well, I've had alcohol before," she admitted hastily, "but never beer."

Daryl nodded and held out the beer for her. She looked down at it, still uncertain.

"Try it," he encouraged her, "Never know unless ya try, right?"

Carol smiled a little and nodded, "That is true," she agreed, reaching for the beer. Daryl watched as she cracked the top and took her first sip. She then made a face, "It's…uh…interesting."

"It's cheap ass beer," Daryl explained, watching as she cringed as she took another sip, "There's better stuff out there."

"It's not bad," Carol said, though he could tell that she didn't believe her own words.

"Ya don't gotta finish it," Daryl told her.

"I don't want to waste it," she replied, shaking her head.

"Ya won't. Here, give it here. I'll have that one and ya can get somethin' else," Daryl offered, taking the beer from her, "We got orange juice, water, and somethin' that once passed for milk back in the day."

Carol chuckled a little and requested a water. Then she followed him out into the backyard where they settled into lawn chairs.

"So, how was your afternoon, Daryl?" Carol asked in a bid to get conversation moving.

"Shitty," Daryl admitted, taking a sip of the beer, "Got windy and that makes sprayin' a crap job."

"Why's that?"

"'Cause the chemical blows back in ya face," Daryl explained, "That shit stinks."

"Isn't that dangerous?" she wondered, genuine concern on her face.

Daryl took a pull from his beer and then shrugged his shoulders, "Could be. The chemicals don't hurt us none now, but no one knows what the long-term effects are. Could be cancer-causin'. Merle says that I'm probably gonna have some two-headed kid or somethin'," he chuckled.

"That's quite a gamble with your health, isn't it?" Carol asked, her brow knitted in a frown.

"Maybe," Daryl shrugged again, "We all gotta die sometime, though."

This time Carol chuckled, "That's a happy thought," she said sarcastically. Daryl smirked a little.

"That's me. Real ray of sunshine when I wanna be," he said.

"I'll believe it when I see it," she teased. Then, more seriously, she asked, "You haven't thought about doing something safer?"

"Ain't much 'round here that pays as good," Daryl replied, "Gotta make money."

Carol nodded and asked, "So is work all you do?"

"Feels like it," Daryl admitted, "Not much time for anythin' else."

"But isn't there things that you'd like to do? Besides work?" Carol questioned.

"Suppose," he shrugged, "Like huntin', hikin'…dunno. Don't have much time, though. Work five 'til five most days. Longer if the weather's good. That don't leave much time for other stuff."

"What about dating?" Carol asked, making him choke on his drink. Where the hell had that come from?

"What?" he spluttered.

"Do you have time to date?" she questioned, "Are you single?"

"Uh…uh…yeah…single," Daryl stammered, completely confused, "What're ya askin' me that for?"

Before Carol could answer, however, a man's voice asked another question.

"Yes, what the hell are you asking him that for?" Ed Peletier growled from where he stood at the patio door with Merle.

**TBC**

**AN: Yep, we're starting with cliffhangers. A few notes in regards to this chapter: Yes, Jacqui is our girl from season 1. Jane Goodall, for anyone who doesn't know, is a famous wildlife biologist who studied chimps.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 6**

"What the hell?" Ed demanded again, taking a step towards Carol, towering over her where she sat in the lawn chair. Carol could see the tension in his face, the way his jaw tensed and the dangerous flash in his eyes.

"Ed, I was-"

"The fuck you doin'?" he yelled at her, "You hittin' on him? YOU ARE MINE!"

He bent over her, his face close to hers. She could smell the whiskey on his breath. In the next instant, Ed was pulled away from her.

"Back off, Man!" Daryl snapped at Ed, who then lunged for Daryl, grabbing at the front of his shirt.

"You hittin' on her? You tryin' to snake my woman from me? Huh?"

"Ed, stop-" Carol's plea was drowned out by Daryl's angry shout.

"Get the fuck off me!" Daryl yelled, fighting against his hold in the same way an animal might fight if it was caught in a trap.

"I'll let go of you when I'm damn good and ready, ya little sh-OOF!" Ed was cut off when Daryl punched him in the gut. Ed released Daryl to double over in pain, but it didn't last long. Ed stumbled forward again and punched Daryl in the face. The momentum took Ed forward, sending both men to the ground, Ed on top of a struggling Daryl.

"Get off me!" Daryl cried out, flailing beneath Ed.

"You go anywhere near my girl again and I'm gonna-"

"Get the fuck off of me or I'm gonna-"

"ENOUGH!" Merle shouted, grabbing Ed by the collar and hauling him up. Daryl jumped to his feet, hate in his eyes as he started towards Ed. Merle stopped him with his other hand. He stood between the men, forcing them apart, his muscles straining as he did so. It was the first time Carol had ever seen either Dixon look so angry. They looked dangerous, far more dangerous than Ed, but in this situation, she figured that they had a right to be. It was all a misunderstanding and now, Daryl was sporting a black eye.

"I want-"

"ENOUGH!" Merle shouted again, drowning out whatever his brother was going to say, "Let's all calm the fuck down and figure out what the fuck's goin' on!"

"He's tryin' to steal my woman!" Ed yelled, struggling against Merle's firm hold.

"Weren't doin' nothing! If she had any sense at all, she'd dump ya ass!" Daryl ejected, also struggling against his brother.

"ENOUGH!" Merle bellowed a third time, pushing Daryl back against the house while forcing Ed into a lawn chair, "Now instead of bein' damn children here, we're gonna talk shit through-"

"Bit rich comin' from you, ain't it?" Daryl shot at him.

"Don't you sass me, Boy!" Merle scolded before he looked over at Ed, "Now, Ed, if my brother says nothin' happened, I believe him. He ain't the kind to snake another man's woman away. He's more the sweet one, my baby brother."

Ed said nothing, simply glaring over at Daryl, who glowered right back.

Merle rolled his eyes and looked to Carol, "What happened here, Darlin'?"

"I…I…" Carol stammered, not knowing what to say. Everything had escalated so fast and she was so confused and horrified by what had gone down. Merle approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, there, Lil' Mouse. Ain't no big thing," he assured her in a soft, gentle voice that was so different from the one he had used with Ed and Daryl before.

"We…we were just talking and…and a girl I work with wanted to know if Daryl was single so I asked and then…" she trailed off, feeling ready to cry.

"Now see?" Merle said to the two men, "It's all just a big misunderstandin'. Ain't nothin' to get ya shorts all bunched up over. Now let's open a damn beer and forget this shit ever happened."

Looking at Ed and Daryl, Carol knew that that would be easier said than done. They both looked murderous and Carol was overcome with the knowledge that she had caused it all. She had caused this rift by thoughtlessly running her mouth. She shook her head. She needed to escape.

"I…I have to go," she whimpered, fleeing through the patio door before anyone could say a word. She was almost to the front door when Ed called out to her.

"Carol! Carol! Wait!"

She stopped short and turned around, looking back at Ed who looked panicked.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry-"

"Ed, you hit him!" Carol cried, "You accused him of all those things!"

"I got crazy, Carol Ann," Ed told her, "Seein' you out there with him…talkin' like that…Baby, I thought the worst and I can't lose you."

"Ed, you hurt him!"

"Darlin', it was all a misunderstandin'," Ed said, shaking his head, "I got no beef with Daryl. Just lost my mind there for a minute. Don't you understand how crazy you make me? Thought of you with another guy just makes me lose my damn mind."

He reached out to touch her shoulder and Daryl's words from the yard echoed in her head.

_"If she had any sense at all, she'd dump ya ass!"_

Was Daryl right or were those words spoken out of anger? What was she doing with a man who accused her of such things and hitting men who had been nothing but kind to her? She shook her head.

"Ed, I don't know if I can do this," she cried, the tears slipping down her cheeks.

Ed shook his head, his expression pained, "Now Carol Ann, Sweetheart, don't you say that. It was all a misunderstandin'. Darlin', I love you."

Carol let out a sob and said, "I love you too, but…but I don't know if I can be with someone who doesn't trust me."

She turned then and walked out the door, running to her car and ignoring as he called after her.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"I want him out!" Daryl snarled, pacing the yard like a caged lion, "I want him gone!"

"Easy there, Lil' Brother," Merle said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture, "We need him to help out-"

"Fuck it!" Daryl snapped, "Don't want his fuckin' money!"

"Daryl, it was just a mistake-"

"He hit me!" Daryl reminded him, pointing up to his face. His eye was swelling up quickly and Merle cringed a little.

"He didn't mean that shit-"

"Stop fuckin' defending him!" Daryl shouted, "Ain't ya the one always goin' on 'bout blood and loyalty and shit? Or is that only the fuckin' case when ya want ME to do somethin'?"

Merle cursed and snapped at his brother, "Now, Daryl, that's enough! Told ya we need him to help out with rent and there ain't no way we findin' another roommate before next month. Was just a mistake, so let it go, Boy!"

Daryl glared at him, looking supremely betrayed by his brother's words. Merle sighed guiltily, "Brother-"

"Fuck you!" Daryl snapped, turning on his heel and heading for the back gate.

"The hell ya goin'?" Merle demanded.

"Anywhere but fuckin' here!" Daryl called back, taking off for the grove of trees that he liked to disappear into. 

Merle sucked in a bit of air through his teeth. He felt like he was between a rock and a hard place. While he was watching Ed swing at his brother, Merle wanted to break the fucker's jaw. At the same time, though, he knew that he couldn't if he wanted to keep Ed around to cover rent. It pissed Merle off. He didn't want to have to choose between his brother and money.

A few moments later, the money part of that coin slinked outside. Merle turned to look at his roommate, who looked so damn fucking lost that it was almost sad. Ed looked up at Merle with a pained expression.

"She's gone," he said.

"Ain't fuckin' surprised," Merle told him coldly.

"I screwed up," Ed said hollowly, "Why…why…"

"Because ya was an asshole," Merle snapped, too irritated to give Ed sympathy.

"I've gotta make it right," Ed declared pathetically, "I can't lose her, Man."

Merle looked unimpressed and strolled across the yard, leaning on the back fence and eyeing the thick brush and trees, looking for any sign of his brother, but knowing that Daryl would likely remain out there until dark. Maybe even longer. Wouldn't be the first time his brother spent a night out there and with the way Daryl had stormed off, Merle figured that the boy wouldn't be too damn inclined to come back home. His brother's betrayed expression came to mind and Merle cursed.

Maybe Ed wasn't the only asshole in the house at the moment.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"And then I just…ran out of there," Carol finished relaying the tale of her evening to her sister, who was cuddled up in Carol's arms on Carol's bed.

"That sounds crazy," Catherine declared, "And you really broke up with him?"

"I guess," Carol said lamely, "I dunno. It was hard…I didn't think I was doing anything wrong and then he just…flipped."

"It sounds like he was jealous of this Daryl guy," Catherine observed, glancing upwards at Carol, who pushed back a strand of Catherine's blond hair.

Carol rolled her eyes, "Thank you, Miss State-the-Obvious," then she sighed, "I don't even know why. I would never, ever cheat on Ed. He should know that."

"Maybe he trusts you, but doesn't trust that Daryl guy," Catherine supplied with a shrug.

"Maybe," Carol allowed, "but Daryl's not like that either."

"And you know that from the three times you've met him?" Catherine quipped.

Carol fixed her sister with a look and insisted, "He's a decent man, Catherine. He's a little shy and quiet, but he's not like that."

"It's the quiet ones that you've gotta watch out for," Catherine said, flipping over onto her belly so she could look her sister in the eyes, "He's not from around here, either. For all you know, he could be an axe murderer or something."

"He's not," Carol said firmly, "and what happened tonight wasn't his fault. Ed was the one who overreacted."

"It sounds like both of you did," Catherine observed.

"What do you mean by that?" Carol asked defensively.

"You ran out…barely gave him time to explain anything," Catherine said, "You aren't giving him much of a chance…I mean, I thought you were going to marry the guy. You did…uh…you know…with him."

Carol sighed and leaned back against the headboard. Catherine did have a point. Carol had given herself to Ed, something that couldn't be taken back now. She did say to herself that one day, she would be Mrs. Ed Peletier. Was she giving up on that all too soon? Was she wrong to just throw it all away just because of one fight? And yet…

_"If she had any sense at all, she'd dump ya ass!"_

Why had Daryl said that? Was it anger? Or did he know something she didn't?

And why was she putting so much stock in his words? He was just an acquaintance. Carol had only met him three times. She had been with Ed for almost a year. It didn't make sense for her to put his views on the matter to the forefront of her mind. It didn't make sense for her to trust him over Ed.

And yet, she did.

Every one of her instincts told her that he was a good man. She could see it in his shy smiles, the soft way he spoke around her, the way he thanked her for dinner, his invitation to her in afternoon, and in the way that he had pulled Ed away from her. Carol didn't know what to make of it. She didn't know why she felt this connection with a stranger, but for some reason, she did feel a connection to Daryl, one that made her feel indignant on his behalf when Ed, her boyfriend of almost a year, hit him.

And that only confused her more. As Ed's girlfriend, she was supposed to take Ed's side of things. She was supposed to be dutiful and supportive of him. That was what her mother had always encouraged her to be whenever she found the man that she would marry. Did siding with Daryl make her disloyal to Ed? Did it even matter now that she had told Ed that she didn't know if she could be with him? Surely, Ed could find another girl to take her place. He was good-looking, charming, and he had a decent job. It wouldn't be hard for him to move on.

But for Carol…well, Ed was the first boy to pay attention to her and he always said that he was the only one who would ever love her as much as he did.

For the first time, Carol felt a flicker of fear. She had disregarded all of her mother's teachings when it came to Ed. Was this her punishment for that? Would she wind up alone after all, just like her mother had always told her would happen if she did not act with propriety?

And then she heard a tapping noise at her window.

**TBC**

**AN: And there's another cliffhanger. I'm a bit evil. This plays on Carol's fears of being alone, something she alluded to in Indifference.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 7**

One nice thing about living on the edge of town was that Daryl had access to the woods if he ever needed an escape. As soon as he hit the treeline, Daryl took off in a run. He knew this section of forest well enough to know where branches had fallen on the path and where the gnarled roots had come up out of the ground. He was going to his favourite place, a section of creek that had widened to create a small pool. Animals used it as a watering hole and more often than not, Daryl got to observe some deer or even a coyote looking for a cool drink. The pool was untouched. Most people didn't bother to go as deeply into the woods as he did.

Daryl found it calming to listen to the trickle of the water as it flowed and as he breathed in the fresh forest air, he was able to tamp down the urge for a cigarette. He had been trying to quit since moving to Cranwall and while he had yet to completely kick the habit, he had cut back a lot. He was down to four cigarettes a day and he wanted to keep it that way. That was why whenever he felt agitated, he would come to this spot and let nature calm him as it had done when he was a boy hiding from the wrath of his daddy. Coming to this spot helped Daryl calm down enough to resist the cravings.

Daryl settled on the forest floor, a few feet from the water's edge, and tossed pebbles into the calm water, creating a ripple of rings on the glassy surface.

He had been trying to be nice…accommodating to Carol Taylor. He offered her a drink and his company, even though at that point, he just wanted to be left to his own devices after a shitty day at work. Still, the woman was good company and he enjoyed talking with her. She wasn't one of those fake women who simply smiled and nodded to whatever he had to say. She seemed to genuinely care about what he had to say. Hell, she seemed to genuinely care about him and THAT was saying something, considering they had only met three days ago. Daryl hadn't had anyone worry for his safety since his mama was alive. Sure, Merle fought with their daddy to protect Daryl, but that was different. Merle had worried about Pa beating the shit out of Daryl, not the little things. Daryl's mama had worried if Daryl would fall down the porch steps or come across a poisonous snake in the long grass behind the garden shed. Carol was similar to his mama in that sense. She cared and didn't want to see anyone harmed, even if it was just a sliver. Daryl understood that about her. He liked her for it.

And then Ed had happened, consumed by a fit of jealousy over Carol asking Daryl a simple question. Sure, the question had caught Daryl off guard, but there was no need for Peletier to react like that, getting in her face and accusing her of being unfaithful. After all of the shit Daryl's daddy had put his mama through, Daryl wasn't going to stand to see a woman like Carol get mistreated. He intervened and then Ed's wrath had turned on him. Even though Ed had a clear weight advantage, he had underestimated how a man can panic when trapped. Daryl couldn't help but wonder if the fear had shown on his face when Ed had grabbed him. For a moment there, Daryl was not twenty-two and fighting a man a year younger than him. For a moment, he was twelve-years-old and he was trapped in his daddy's grasp, anticipating a beating for slamming a door when his old man was hung over. He had struggled against Ed and had thrown the first punch in a bid to escape. Daryl had received the second one and in the glassy water of the pool, he took note of his blackened eye.

Things were said and Daryl had been pissed. He had said that if Carol had any sense, she wouldn't be with that asshole. In that moment, Ed had been exactly like Daryl's daddy and a good woman like Carol didn't deserve a man like that. She deserved someone better, someone honorable, who appreciated her.

_'Like who? You?'_ an inner voice in Daryl's brain taunted.

He shook his head. A woman like Carol didn't need no Dixon either.

_'She doesn't,'_ the voice agreed, _'but think about it. That little woman on YOUR arm, cooking YOU dinner, calling out YOUR name in YOUR bed…'_

The images that filled his mind did something to him. The thought of Carol looking up at him, her eyes filled with warmth and love made his heart beat faster. The idea of sitting down with her, after a long day of work, to a home-cooked meal as they shared stories about their days sounded almost perfect. After all, he hadn't minded talking to her at all today. It had been downright pleasant and he couldn't say that about talking with most people. And then, the image of her beneath him, her face contorted in pleasure as he thrust into her made him dig his fingers into the earth. He would make sure she enjoyed it. He liked sex better when his partner was enjoying it and judging from Ed's performance the other night, she hadn't enjoyed it that much at all.

But then he felt guilty. He was fantasizing about another man's girlfriend, a woman who didn't deserve to be the object of Daryl's fantasies.

_'But they may not be together much longer…'_ the voice reminded him.

And it was true. Ed had been an asshole tonight and surely Carol would see that as well. She might decide that Ed wasn't the man she had thought he was and dump his ass…but then if that happened, Daryl probably wouldn't see her again. They didn't run in the same circles. She was well-off, a banker's daughter. He was trash, an alcoholic's son who sprayed ditches and spent his free time keeping Merle in line. Besides that, the thought of pursuing Carol made Daryl's stomach do nervous flops. It seemed like a daunting task to keep on with a woman, one of the reasons that Daryl had never had a real serious relationship…and if he ever dated Carol…well, she was the real serious type of relationship. Like Merle said, if you had her, you held onto her. Daryl had never had anything like that in his life. He didn't know exactly if he could hold onto it if he ever got it.

_'Well, too bad you're a Dixon then…too useless to go after what you want…'_

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol got up off the bed and approached the window. Standing there on the lawn was her boyfriend once again tossing pebbles up at her window. For a moment, Carol just stood there watching him and trying to figure out how the remorseful man standing down in her yard was the same one who reacted so violently to a simple comment.

"He's trying," Catherine observed, "What are you going to do?"

That was really the question. Was Carol willing to hear him out or was she finished with him? Looking down at Ed now, Carol was more acutely reminded of what she stood to lose by breaking up with him. At the same time, however, she wasn't going to simply turn a blind eye to his actions. She pushed the window up and opened.

"What are you doing here, Ed?" she asked.

"Carol, Sweetheart, we need to talk," he said.

"We do," Carol agreed.

"Good," Ed replied, relived that she was in agreement, "Come on down here and we'll talk."

She knew that was coming. She knew he'd want to talk tonight, but as of tonight, he was still drunk and she was still annoyed by his presence.

"No," she told him, shaking her head, "We-"

"Dammit, you just said you'd give me a chance!" Ed griped, his voice rising from the whisper-yells.

"I will, but not tonight," Carol said quickly so that she could keep him quiet before he woke her parents, "I'd rather talk while you're sober and while my head is cooler."

"Sweetheart, let's just get it over with-"

"No. We'll talk tomorrow at five thirty at the Burger Baron," Carol said firmly, shutting her window to him. She turned to her sister, who sat with her eyebrows raised.

"Nice going, Sis. I've never seen you talk like that to somebody before," Catherine told her, clearly impressed.

"Then that gives you an idea about how I feel about this whole thing," Carol replied, moving away from the window, "You ought to get to bed, Cath. Last I hear, high school is still in session in May."

Catherine rolled her eyes, "Yes, Mom."

She promptly ducked as Carol threw a pillow at her on her way out the door.

**_0-TSR-0_**

It had been a while since Merle had the house to himself. Daryl was off pouting in the woods and Ed was off trying to woo the little woman. Merle found he didn't like the silence, so he sat in the darkened living room with the TV on. They really rarely used the thing, one of the reasons that Daryl had decided against getting cable. Merle's only two options for viewing right now consisted of the Late Show and a re-run of The Beverly Hillbillies. Since the Beverly Hillbillies had the ditzy blond in a bathing suit swimming in the 'cement pond', Merle opted for that, though his mind was elsewhere.

Try as he might, he could not stop thinking about that whole damn afternoon and what his brother had said to him.

It really bothered him that his brother thought that he didn't care about Peletier throwing punches. Of course Merle cared. He spent most of his childhood getting in between Daryl and their pa's fists up until he was seventeen and he had to get away before he killed the old man. Merle took countless beatings to ensure that Daryl would be safe and he would gladly put himself in between his brother and harm. The situation with Ed was different, though. The Dixons needed the money of a third person. Sure, they could get by without Ed, but it would take Daryl that much longer to get his ass into school and for as much as Merle razzed his brother, he wanted Daryl to go to school.

Daryl was a rarity in their family. He was the first Dixon to graduate high school. His brother, father, uncles, and cousins had opted to drop out to either work, ramble around the country-side, or to support a family. Most of the Dixon clan had thought schooling was a waste of time, but Daryl had been determined to make something of himself and for that, Merle could not be prouder of the boy. If there was anyone that could break the mould, it was Daryl.

And Merle wanted to see Daryl actually go to school. He feared that if his little brother waited too long, he'd never go and then he'd regret it for the rest of his life. At thirty, Merle was eight years older than Daryl. He had enlisted in the military at nineteen and served for three years before he was dishonorably discharged. After that, he rambled around Georgia for two years before returning to Clayton to retrieve his baby brother, who would have been sixteen at the time. Daryl hadn't wanted to leave with Merle, though. He wanted to stay in Clayton and finish his schooling, so Merle waited on him. Merle learned about Daryl's desire to go even further than high school and it was at this time that Merle was seeing a bank teller who helped him open a savings account in Daryl's name. They made it so that Merle could put money into it, but only Daryl could withdraw it when he was ready. The money was safer that way. Daryl didn't even know about it, but it was Merle's way of making amends.

_"Feels good, don't it?" Merle asked, lounging happily in the shallows of the local lake as his eyes roamed over the women sunbathing on the beach._

_"Sure does," Daryl agreed, sitting on the dock with his feet dangling in the water. Merle, who was more than happy to be submerged in the cool water, found it unacceptable that his sixteen-year-old brother refused to jump in. He pulled Daryl down into the water by his leg, making the boy curse up a blue streak._

_"The fuck ya think ya doin', ya fucker?" Daryl demanded, spluttering as he surfaced. _

_"Live a little, Brother," Merle taunted, laughing. Daryl scowled and began making his way to the shore, his white wife-beater clinging to his wet skin. Under the thin material, Merle saw something on his brother's back, some sort of indentation in his skin that made the scars on Merle's back throb for the first time in years._

_Later that night, when Daryl was asleep, Merle crept into his room and pulled back the blanket to reveal the scarred back of his younger brother._

Merle never spoke about it, but he still felt the crushing guilt over leaving and not being there to protect his brother from the wrath of their father. It was the thing that made him open up the account and made him add to it every month. A good portion of Merle's paycheck went into the account and the last thing he wanted to do was waste the money on rent when it was really meant for Daryl. That was why they needed Peletier around and that was why Merle was currently feeling like a shitty brother for keeping the guy around. Still, aside from act like a grade A asshole, Peletier hadn't done much to hurt Daryl. Hell, Daryl had even threw the first punch so in a way, he was asking to get hit. It was a minor thing and if they tried, both men could get past it and Merle could continue to use Ed's money for rent so that he could continue saving for Daryl.

The front door opened and Merle twisted to see who was coming in. Ed made his way into the living room and flopped down on the sofa, a bottle covered by a paper bag clutched in his hand.

"She said she don't wanna talk to me," Ed groused, "Said she wanted to wait 'til I was sorry or sober or some shit," he slurred.

"Smart woman," Merle grunted.

"I'll get her back. She won't stay mad long…she never does. Got her eatin' out of the palm of my hand. She wants to marry me," Ed boasted. Merle frowned over at him.

"She gonna wanna marry ya if ya homeless?" he asked. Merle watched with some satisfaction as Ed's head snapped up.

"What're ya talkin' 'bout?" he demanded.

"I'm talkin' 'bout that shit ya pulled in the yard," Merle clarified, getting to his feet so that he loomed over Edward Peletier in a menacing manner, "You ever fight with my brother again, you ever touch him again, your ass is out of here. Got it?"

The two men locked eyes and for a moment, Merle hoped that Ed would get belligerent. Instead, Ed nodded his head and assured Merle, "I ain't got nothin' against your brother. Was just a misunderstandin' is all."

"See that it is," Merle told him, turning to go to his room, leaving Ed to watch the antics of Jethro and Granny on the TV.

**TBC**

**AN: Okay, so this was more of a filler chapter than anything, but at least it gave you some insight into the Dixons. Updates might be slow over the next few days. I'm gonna be camping. Also, I want to focus on updating my other fic, A Better Man, as I feel I've been neglecting it since starting this one.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	8. Chapter 8

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 8**

Daryl returned to the house in the wee hours of the morning. He had fallen asleep by his creek and his internal clock woke him up at about four in the morning. He made it back home in time to shower and to get himself ready for another day at work. He could hear both Merle and Ed snoring from their respective rooms. Shaking his head, he finished getting ready and made his way to the door to lace up his steel-toed boots.

He rolled up to work at 5:09 and Kevin was already at the shop, grabbing new coveralls for both of them and grabbing a new jug of chemical for the spray tank.

"Holy shit!" Kevin exclaimed upon seeing Daryl, "What the hell happened to your eye?"

"Ed Peletier happened," Daryl grumbled, bypassing Kevin to hop up on the back of the truck.

"Ed hit you?" Kevin asked incredulously, "How come?"

Daryl scowled and took the jug from Kevin and measured out the correct amount to put into the tank. He grumbled, "Bastard thought I was hittin' on his girl or some shit."

"Were you?" Kevin asked. He received a cold look from Daryl, who poured the chemical in the tank and shut the lid.

"I was just talkin' to her 'cause the bastard was an hour late pickin' her up," Daryl corrected, "Weren't hittin' on no one."

He jumped off the truck and got in the driver's side while Kevin scrambled into the passenger side. He drove over to the water pump and lined up the hose with the tank, listening to Kevin jabber on, "You know, he was always like that. He hated it whenever his girlfriends in high school talked to other guys. My friend Ryan got beat up for carrying Veronica Creedy's books. She was in our year and dated Ed for a while."

"Well, he's a fuckin' jack-ass," Daryl grumbled, getting out of the truck to turn the water on while Kevin got onto the back to make sure the water got into the tank instead of all over the truck.

"What'd Carol Ann say about all this?" Kevin wondered after a moment.

"She freaked. Couldn't stand to be around him. She left," Daryl answered, "Hope she dumped his ass to the curb."

"Yeah?" Kevin asked, getting that smile that told Daryl that he was about to get teased, "You want her single there, Little D?"

"Shut up," Daryl groaned, rolling his eyes at the nickname he had received once the guys on Merle's crew realized that they were brothers. Merle was called Big D, so Daryl was Little D. He hated it. He neglected to answer Kevin's question, something that Kevin picked up on instantly.

"You didn't deny it," Kevin said, smirking, "You want to get with Carol Ann Taylor, Buddy?"

"Let's get to work," Daryl sighed, once again refusing to answer. If he tried to deny it, Kevin would still tease him about it. If he told the truth and said 'yes', he'd still get teased about it. Sometimes it was better to say nothing at all.

**_0-TSR-0_**

It was around noon when Merle took off in one of the county trucks to find the road that his brother was working on. Hoping to make amends, Merle had stopped to pick up Chinese food at the Skyway and was delivering it out to Daryl. He didn't want the boy mad at him and he doubted that Daryl had had anything for breakfast.

When he found the spray truck, Daryl was the one out walking in the ditch in his marshmallow white coveralls, spraying the trees. Merle pulled up in front of the truck, causing Kevin to stop behind him. Merle grabbed the bag of Chinese and stepped out into the heat.

"Hello, Merle," Kevin greeted without getting out of the driver's side of the truck.

"Hey there, Poindexter," Merle responded, leaning against the door, "Baby Bro lookin' for food?"

"Probably," Kevin said, ignoring the poindexter remark, "He didn't have his lunchbox this morning."

"Well, I got shit covered," Merle replied, holding up his gift. He heard the squeaking of the reel as the hose was wound up and then silence as Daryl flicked the generator off.

"The hell ya doin' here?" Daryl asked, coming around to the driver's side of the truck.

"Brought ya lunch," Merle said, gesturing to the bag. Daryl's eyes lit up a little at the prospect of food. He took off those ugly green gloves and set them on the truck bed. He took the food from Merle and walked over the Merle's truck to flip the tailgate down so that he could sit. Merle and Kevin joined him and though Merle could do without the little Elton John look-a-like, he was looking forward to a peaceful lunch with his brother.

"It's good. Thanks," Daryl said between mouthfuls of ginger beef.

"Figured ya could use it, what with spendin' the night out in the damn forest," Merle shrugged. Daryl narrowed his eyes at Merle.

"You tryin' to bribe me into lettin' Peletier stay?" he demanded, setting down his plastic fork into the Styrofoam container of food.

"We need the money, Brother."

"Never mind the fact that the bastard hit me," Daryl responded sourly.

"Now, Boy, ya hit him first," Merle reminded his brother, "The entire situation was a big ol' misunderstandin' and we ain't losin' out on the money just 'cause of a little black eye."

"You're an asshole," Daryl ejected, closing up the box and shoving it away from him, "Take ya damn bribe food and get the hell outta here."

Merle shoved it back at him and said, "I ain't tryin' to be an asshole. I'm tryin' to be realistic. There ain't no reason that you and Peletier can be civil to one another. He's got nothin' against ya and is right sorry for the whole damn thing."

"So he says," Daryl sulked. Merle huffed. The boy wasn't making shit easy, that was for sure.

"Let shit go and let bygones be bygones. You're worse than a damn woman with the way ya hold onto shit," Merle told him.

Kevin chuckled, "Yeah, that's the way to convince him to let it go, Merle."

"Quiet there, Elton," Merle snapped at the kid before turning back to his brother, "Look, I done told Ed that if he ever pulls that shit again, his ass is out. I mean that."

Daryl looked at him for a long moment, not saying anything.

Merle sighed, "C'mon, man. Wouldn't ya rather waste Ed's money than yours?"

And it appeared that those were the magic words. In fact, Daryl looked almost happy to be screwing Ed out of a buck.

It was moments like these that Merle was sure that they were brothers and that their mama didn't just pick up a baby Daryl off of the doorstep.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol hadn't had to wait long for Ed to meet her at the Burger Baron. He was only a minute late and he came with a bouquet of flowers, which she had accepted and put to the side on the table. After they gave their orders to the waitress, Ed spoke, looking the epitome of remorse.

"Carol Ann, I want to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. I went over Merle's friend's place and had a few drinks. I know it ain't an excuse, but it was one of the reasons why I messed up and I'm sorry for that," he apologized.

"You were like a totally different person," Carol reminded him.

"I know I was. I guess…I guess the whiskey does somethin' to me," Ed said, shrugging his shoulders, "I don't usually drink it and…it just made it all that much worse."

"It did," Carol agreed, taking a sip of her water, "but I don't…I don't understand why you would even think that I'd ever cheat on you. I'm not that type of woman, Ed."

He sighed and nodded his head, "I know you ain't, Carol Ann, and I supposed it's my issues that I got. I know how easy it is for someone to just up and walk away from you. My mama cheated on my daddy. She walked out when I was just a kid. She damn near broke him. Even though he found Gloria, he never forgot what Mama did to him. Then when I was datin' Veronica in high school…hell, all she did was flirt with the other guys. I tried so hard to keep her, but as soon as I had my accident, she was off to the next guy and I was left in a damn hospital bed with nothin' and nobody."

"That's awful," Carol said softly. She knew that his parents had separated, but she never knew the specifics of it. She had never liked Veronica Creedy and would not put it past the girl to do something like that to Ed.

"It was," Ed agreed, glancing down at the table top, "All my life, people've been leavin' me. I guess…I guess I'm just scared that you're gonna too."

Carol reached over and placed her hand over his arm, "Ed, you don't have to be scared. I'm not your mother or Veronica. I would never, ever do that to you."

"I know that now," Ed said, "and I feel like such a fool, Carol Ann, for ever doubtin' you. It's just that for the first time in my life, things are goin' so good. I've got you and the thought of losin' you just…well…it makes me crazy and scared and all."

Carol gently squeezed his arm and told him, "I don't want to lose you either, Ed, but there was no need for what happened yesterday. Daryl and I were just talking and the only reason I asked him if he was single was because a girl at work asked when he came into the restaurant for lunch."

"I know that and I feel like an ass," Ed said remorsefully, "I should never have hit him. When I see him this evenin', I'm gonna be tryin' to make it right. Least I can do."

Carol smiled, pleased with how the conversation had gone, and said, "You're a good man, Ed Peletier."

Ed raised his eyes to hers and smiled as well, just as their food was brought to the table.

Carol was happy that they were able to talk. She understood that alcohol can make people do things that they wouldn't normally do and she was honored that Ed confided in her. It was the first time he had ever confessed his fears to her and if anything, she felt closer to him than ever.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl dragged himself into the house around six. He was sore from his long day and that was compounded by the fact that he had slipped walking down a steep ditch and twisted something. He was too stubborn to quit at a decent time and was now feeling every single moment of his shitty ass day. As he limped around the corner, he ran straight into a soft, curvy body. He steadied them both and raised his head to look at the woman and found himself struck by a familiar pair of blue eyes.

"C-Carol," he stammered, surprised to see her back in his home.

"Hi, Daryl. I'm sorry about that…" she apologized sheepishly, stepping back.

"It's alright," Daryl told her, "Uh…what're you doin' here?"

For a moment, he was hoping, however irrationally, that she would say that she was there to see him. He was hoping that she'd say that she felt horrible about the way Ed had treated him and that she wanted to see if he was okay.

"I came over with Ed," she said. Daryl's face fell slightly and she continued, "I talked to him about what happened yesterday and he felt horrible about it. I do too. I'm sorry for the part I played and for leaving-"

"Ain't your fault," he cut her off, glancing down at the floor.

"It wasn't hers at all," a smarmy voice said from the living room. Ed, dressed in a polo shirt and khakis, came towards them, a look of apology pasted on his face.

"Ed," Daryl greeted, shifting his posture so that his head was raised and his chest was puffed out. He did it instinctively and when he realized he was acting like a dominant male posturing for position, he almost laughed, but he remained defiant and aloof.

"Daryl, I want to apologize for yesterday. I had been drinking and I completely misread the entire situation. I feel just…horrible for hittin' you. Whiskey don't make me the most…pleasant of men," Ed excused himself. Daryl wanted desperately to call bullshit. He could see right through the act he was putting on for his girl, who looked to be eating it all up. But then he saw Merle come into the entry way, his arms crossed over his chest and the bright, expectant eyes of Carol. The desire to cause a scene left him upon his glance towards her. He didn't want her to see some violent redneck.

"Sorry for hittin' you too," Daryl muttered, nodding his head. He stepped to the side, not quite hiding the wince as he put weight on his fucked up ankle.

"Are you okay?" Carol asked, her face contorted in concern as she twisted to look at him. For some reason, that look made him want to escape her sight. While her attention was nice, he didn't want her to see him in pain. He didn't want pity.

"Fine," Daryl lied, limping away from the couple towards his room. He heard as Ed ushered Carol out the door to go to dinner and focused instead on easing off his boots. Merle appeared at his door, holding out a beer for his brother.

"What'd ya do?" he asked.

"Fell in a ditch. Twisted it," Daryl grumbled, wrestling out of his coveralls, "You believe that moron out there?" he asked, changing the subject. Merle chuckled and handed Daryl the beer bottle now that he was done with the coveralls.

"He's puttin' it on thick for that little lady, that's for damn sure. Came in here with her earlier, simperin' and apologizin' to me for yesterday," he said, "Damn bastard's pussywhipped pretty damn good."

Daryl frowned at the term and shook his head, "If anyone's whipped, it's her. She's always doin' shit for him."

"So she's a sweet little thang," Merle shrugged, "He's still wrapped around her little finger, trippin' over himself tryin' to get her back. Probably knows he ain't ever gonna find another woman like that one."

"Bet he does," Daryl agreed, "and I betcha he's gonna make damn sure he don't lose her…even if he has to punch out every guy she talks to."

"You're just pissed 'cause that sack of nails socked ya," Merle teased, but then he became serious again, "Good on ya for forgivin' him. We need his money."

"Ain't forgivin' him," Daryl corrected, "I'm just lettin' bygones be bygones or some shit."

Merle chuckled again, "Or some shit. Ya always were the stubborn one."

"Speak for yourself," Daryl griped, getting to his feet, "Gonna go shower."

"Good. Ya need it!" Merle called back to him, laughing.

Daryl shook his head and moved to the bathroom, shutting the door. He reached to turn on the shower and set his beer on the counter by the sink so that he could undress. He figured out damn quick that his ankle wasn't going to tolerate the slick porcelain of the shower-tub so he hit the knob that turned off the shower, but let the tub fill with water. He grumbled under his breath and grabbed for his beer before he sat down. Soaking his ankle was probably the best thing for it anyhow. He leaned back against the back of the tub, the cold tile feeling good against his heated skin. He closed his eyes and let his thoughts stray as he brought the beer bottle to his lips and took a long pull.

It was inevitable really, that his thoughts would turn to Carol Taylor. He just didn't get it. He didn't get it at all. The woman was a sweet girl. She seemed smart. So why the hell was she with a bastard like Peletier? Why did she buy his bullshit?

And why did Daryl care? Why did he care about what she did or who she dated? Why did he care about what she thought of him and his house?

_'Because you like her,'_ that traitorous voice in his head teased him, _'You want her pressed against you, only you want to be closer to her than when you ran into her in the hallway. Honestly, it's a shame that a woman like that, a woman who'd be perfect for you, is wasting her time on a chump like Peletier.'_

"I'm a Dixon. I ain't for her," Daryl told himself, but at the same time, he was filled with longing. He did want to be closer to her. He did want her. Even now, he could still smell the scent of her perfume in his nostrils. She smelt like strawberries. He could feel her soft curves against him from when she ran into him. And those eyes...whenever she looked at him, he felt like she was looking directly at him. Those eyes disarmed him and made him feel like she could see right through him. It made him uncomfortable, but at the same time, relieved, like for once, he didn't have to hide. He shifted in the tub as his body reacted to the memory of a few moments ago. He wished that those eyes would look him, not out of pity, but because she wanted him.

But she never would. She was with Peletier, for whatever reason, and apparently she wasn't about to give up her boyfriend.

"What are you doin'?" Daryl asked himself as he stared up at the ceiling, "She ain't yours and she ain't ever will be."

**TBC**

**AN: ****At this point, Carol is desperately clinging to the idea of settling down with Ed, mostly do to her rationalizations that she will marry him, which makes it easier for her to accept his version of things. It makes it easier for her to forgive him and look past the warning signs that something's wrong. And poor Daryl's getting in deep.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 9**

Daryl always found an excuse to get the hell out of dodge whenever Ed brought Carol over. He went to bed, he went for walks, he ran to the store…anything to keep his distance. He couldn't help the fact that each time he saw her, he wanted to be around her and he wanted to knock Ed out just so he'd get the chance to bask in her attention. He felt that it was better to leave them to whatever they did for the small amount of time that it took for them to do it. He wasn't in the business of stealing anyone's girlfriend, even a bastard like Ed. Besides, he figured that whatever it was that he felt for Carol would fade away if she was out of sight.

Except the problem was that even if she was out of sight, she wasn't out of his mind.

He missed talking to her. She was easy to talk to and he felt like he could tell her about anything. He missed her kind smile and the way it seemed like her eyes would light up if she was particularly happy. The worst was when he had to listen to the sex on the other side of the wall. Carol was quiet in bed. Most of the time it sounded like Ed was having sex with himself. There were times when Daryl was able to ignore Ed's voice and focus solely on Carol's whenever Ed asked one of his asinine questions. Carol would respond with a breathy 'yours' and Daryl imagined that she was saying it to him instead of her asshole boyfriend. The first time that happened, Daryl felt dirty for becoming aroused. He tried to shrug it off. He hadn't been laid in a while.

He remedied that on the Saturday after the whole debacle with Ed's jealousy. Daryl actually went out with Merle and was able to use his almost healed ankle as a means to get a little sympathy sex. That hadn't even helped. Yes, both him and the girl got off, but he had a feeling that she hadn't appreciated it when he grunted the wrong name during climax. Needless to say that he wasn't doing that again.

Worse than that, Kevin seemed to take a perverse pleasure in forgetting his lunch so that they could stop at the Harvest Garden, forcing Daryl into the presence of the woman he was trying to avoid.

And dammit all, Daryl lived for those visits when Carol would take his order and then when she'd stay and talk with him for a moment or two. She always had a smile on her face, even when it was obvious that she had just come off of a busy rush or she had spilt someone's cola on her apron. He was able to learn more about her during those minutes. He knew that she had a sister named Catherine that she was fond of. He knew that she broke her wrist when she was fourteen and that sometimes she had trouble carrying a lot of plates because of it. He knew that she had her own garden. He liked those moments when he could talk to her without competing with Ed for her attention.

Therefore, when he and Kevin were working late one evening, Daryl didn't object at all when Kevin suggested that they grab supper at the Harvest Garden. He knew that sometimes Carol worked the supper shift, something that he had heard Ed complain about far too often. They pulled into the parking lot and Daryl's eyes widened a little when he saw Carol standing next to her car, a distressed look on her face as she peered down at her tire. She was still wearing that red apron over her clothes. When Kevin put the truck in park, Daryl chose to ignore his hunger and walk across the parking lot.

"Hell of a flat," Daryl observed, making the redhead jump and spin around.

"Daryl! Kevin!" Carol exclaimed, relief overtaking her features, "I just came out and found it like this," she said, gesturing to her car. It was a green sunfire and the driver's side wheel was completely flat.

"Musta picked up a nail or somethin'," Daryl said, kneeling down to inspect the tire.

"Great," Carol groaned, "I was supposed to pick up my sister at drama practice at six. What am I going to do?"

"Ya got a spare? A jack?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know," Carol fretted, "I've never had a flat before."

"Pop your trunk. If it's anywhere, it's probably there," Daryl directed her. She did as he asked and he set to work, locating a jack, a tire iron, and a donut tire. He set each item out on the pavement and offered, "I can change ya tire for ya if ya need."

"You'd do that?" Carol asked, relief and gratitude playing on her face.

"Sure he would," Kevin volunteered with a grin, "That's Daryl, always helping out damsels in distress.

"Shut up, Kev," Daryl sighed at his friend before grabbing the jack and placing it in the appropriate spot.

"How do you know where to put it?" Carol asked, kneeling down beside him. Daryl glanced over his shoulder at her. He hadn't come across too many women who took an interest in fixing cars, but he figured that any woman ought to know these sort of things.

"There's a groove on the frame for it," Daryl told her, "There's one by each wheel. Ya put the jack under and crank it up."

He cranked the lever until the car was raised enough and then he set to work untightening the lug nuts, saying, "Ya do it staggered like. That way, ya can get 'em all off without the tire leaning one way or another. Makes it easier."

Then he pulled the flat tire off the studs and set it aside. He reached for the donut and pushed it onto the studs to begin the process of putting it on.

"Why is that tire so small?" Carol asked.

"It's a donut," Kevin explained, "It's a smaller spare tire that fits better in the trunks of these smaller cars."

"Ya can't drive very fast on 'em," Daryl added, screwing the lug nuts back on the studs by hand before tightening them with the tire iron, "but it'll get ya back to town and do ya until ya can get ya tire fixed proper."

"Okay, I-"

Carol was interrupted by a sharp gust of wind that banged the sign for the restaurant against the door. Daryl cringed at the sound and Kevin shook his head.

"I thought the damn weatherman said that we were supposed to get a nice night?" he groused, shaking his head.

"Ya should know by now that the bastard on 880 is a damn liar," Daryl pointed out as he pushed back his hair to keep the wind from blowing it out of his face as he worked to tighten the lug nuts, "Somethin' tells me we ain't workin' late tonight."

"Not unless you want chemical in the face," Kevin agreed, "Well that's alright. Mom's makin' roast tonight and as good as the Harvest Garden is, nothing beats Mom's roast."

"So I've heard," Daryl responded, chuckling.

"So have I," Carol concurred. Daryl focused on his task, but stilled when he heard Kevin's next bright idea.

"You know, I could just take the spray truck home and Daryl could catch a ride with you, Carol."

Daryl turned back to look at Kevin and asked, "What?"

"I don't live all that far away," Kevin ventured, "I could take the truck home and then you could go back to town with Carol. I could meet you at the shop tomorrow morning."

"Kev…" Daryl warned, looking for an excuse to use to protest the plan, "Carol's gotta pick up her sister."

"You could go with her," Kevin suggested, "Make sure Carol gets back to town safe. You never know with the donuts and you are a good mechanic."

Sometimes Daryl hated how it seemed that Kevin had an answer for damn near everything. There was no way that Daryl could protest Kevin's response without sounding like an uncaring jackass. He turned to Carol and said, "I could if ya want."

Carol nodded her head, "That'd be nice."

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol puttered along the road, feeling silly for going so slow, but Daryl insisted that doing anything above thirty miles per hour on a donut tire was asking for trouble. She glanced over at her travelling companion, who was sitting with his elbow hanging out of the open window while he gnawed on his thumbnail. She hadn't been alone with him since that day out in the yard. She got the distinct feeling that he was avoiding her. Why else would he disappear whenever Ed brought her by the house? She felt bad for making him feel uncomfortable in his own home when he was nothing but kind to her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. Daryl twisted his head to look over at her, a perplexed look on his face.

"What're ya sorry for? Ain't no big thing, changin' a tire," he told her.

"I meant for before," Carol clarified, "Things have been kind of…I don't know…weird since the argument in the backyard. I'm sorry for causing trouble like that and I'm sorry if I've made you feel uncomfortable since then."

Daryl stared at her for a moment, blinking rapidly as he processed what she had said. Then he shook his head and replied, "Ain't nothin' for ya to apologize for. Ya didn't cause no damn trouble. Ya just asked a question."

"It was inappropriate-"

"Weren't no big thing," Daryl interrupted her, firmly repeating, "Ya didn't cause no damn trouble."

Carol was silent for a moment, not really believing his words, but appreciating that he was trying to make her feel better about the situation. It was sweet that he was trying to reassure her, but at the same time, she had to wonder, "Are you sure I haven't done anything to make you uncomfortable?"

"Why would ya ask that?" Daryl asked, deflecting the question.

"It just…well, it seems that you disappear whenever I come over," Carol ventured, "And we hardly ever speak unless I'm working. I guess…I don't know. I guess I just thought that I might have done something."

Carol regretted the words when she saw the expression on Daryl's face. He looked almost pained, but then in an instant, the look was replaced by the flat expression that he often wore around her. It was the one that he wore when Merle teased him or he was annoyed by Kevin. She was starting to realize that it was a mask.

"Ain't nothin' ya done," Daryl spoke slowly and carefully, "Figured ya wanted ya space and all."

"Why?" Carol asked before she could help herself, watching him out of the corner of her eye. His mask seemed to be firmly in place.

"You're with Ed," he said simply, "Figured he's the one ya came to be around."

Carol frowned at his words because that's what she kept telling herself in the week and a half that it had been since the backyard incident. She kept telling herself that she only went to the house to see Ed even though on multiple occasions, she found that she kept looking around for the youngest Dixon brother. It wasn't proper, of course, to be looking at another man while she was visiting with her boyfriend. Still, it bothered her that Daryl thought that way and she didn't quite know why.

"That may be, but you're still a friend, Daryl," she said softly. She glanced over at him and saw that the mask had cracked a little. She saw plain surprise on his face and she wondered for a moment if she had overstepped her bounds. She clarified, "That's what we are, right?"

He looked at her for a moment and she almost missed the soft expression when she turned to watch the road.

"Yeah," he answered, making her smile. She glanced at him again out of the corner of her eye and noted that he had turned to look out the window. He seemed to be thinking and Carol didn't want to disturb him. She focused on the road and was a bit thankful when the town came into view. With a glance at her dash, she noted that she was fifteen minutes late for picking up Catherine. She shook her head.

"Cath's gonna kill me," she said, "Fifteen minutes late."

"Could be worse," Daryl shrugged, looking thankful for the shift in conversation, "When I was a kid, it was a treat if anyone came to pick me up. I walked damn near everywhere."

"Catherine would normally walk, but she's painting some props for the play at the church and she didn't want to carry them all home," Carol explained, "She's always been the artistic one."

"Ain't got an artistic bone in my body," Daryl replied with a chuckle.

"Me neither," Carol laughed, turning down Kennedy Street, "I'd be lucky if I could draw a stickman."

"Same," Daryl said, his eyes alert as he watched her pull in front of the church. Catherine was waiting there on the bench in front, large plywood cut-outs and grocery bags of painting supplies sitting beside her.

"This might get loud," Catherine warned Daryl as she got out of the car to greet her sister, "Hey, Cath."

"What took you so long?" Catherine complained, "It's windy out and it looks like it could storm."

"Had a flat tire," Carol explained showing her sister the tire, "Sorry."

"That sucks," Catherine observed, "Who's he?" she asked, looking at Daryl, who had stepped out of the car. He wore the same shy expression that he had worn when Carol first met him.

"This is Daryl Dixon," Carol introduced, "He helped me fix my tire. He's Ed's roommate. Daryl, this is Catherine, my sister."

"Nice to meet ya," Daryl said, his hands buried in his pockets, which seemed to make his bare arms flex a little.

"Same here," Catherine replied, her eyes wide as she took Daryl Dixon in for the first time. Carol knew what was going through her sister's head. She herself had thought the same things when she had first met Daryl. He was a very attractive man with the way his hair hung into those thoughtful blue eyes of his. He had a nice, shy smile that seemed sweet, yet the stubble around his chin and jaw made him look rugged. Today, he was dressed in a dark green muscle shirt that showed off his tanned, muscular arms, and a pair of worn dark jeans with holes all over.

"I'm going to give Daryl a ride home after I drop you off at home," Carol informed her sister, "You might be a little squished in the back with all of the props and stuff. I can't put it in the truck because that's where we put the flat tire."

"Oh, I'll manage," Catherine said, smiling brightly, "It's not that far. I just need some help getting this stuff in the car."

"No problem," Daryl offered, moving to go pick up the props for Catherine. Before she and Carol rounded the car to help him, Catherine grabbed Carol's arm.

"So that's the guy that Ed was jealous over?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," Carol answered, "but don't bring that up."

"I won't, but wow," Catherine said as the sisters watched Daryl bend over to pick up the supplies, "I can see why Ed was jealous."

"Catherine," Carol warned through clenched teeth.

"What?" Catherine said innocently, "Look at him. He blows Leo DiCaprio out of the water."

Carol laughed at this, "And here I thought Leo was unsinkable in your eyes, Cath."

"He just got sunk," Catherine confirmed, her eyes glued to the straining biceps of Daryl Dixon as he transferred his armload of supplies to the backseat. Carol followed her gaze and for a moment, she wondered what it would be like to be in those arms. She wondered what they'd feel like…if they'd be rock hard or if they would feel soft under her touch. She felt her body flush and then she shook her head.

Daryl was her friend. She shouldn't think of him that way, especially seeing as how he was living with her boyfriend. She shook it off and moved to help him arrange things in the car so Catherine would be comfortable.

**TBC**

**AN: ****So I had this chapter done a week ago and in a case of life imitating art, I had myself a flat tire a couple days after I wrote that scene. Somehow I think Carol's going to have an easier time of getting her tire fixed than I will with mine. On the plus side, Catherine approves of Daryl and Carol is starting to feel an attraction for her new friend. **

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 10**

Daryl wasn't really surprised when Carol pulled up to a nice two-story house in one of the nicer areas of town. It was painted a pale blue with dark blue shutters and a white front porch. There was a white picket fence all around it and had a newer chevy car in the drive. A blond man in a polo shirt and jeans was out cutting the front lawn with a push mower. He turned it off when Carol pulled up and checked his watch.

"Hi, Daddy," Carol greeted, climbing out of the driver's seat.

"I thought you girls would be home a half-hour ago," he said, "Your mother was looking for help."

"I had a flat," Carol explained, gesturing to her tire. Her father scowled as he looked at the donut tire before he turned back to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Carol assured him, "I came out of work and it was flat."

"Daryl changed it for her," Catherine piped up as she crawled out of the backseat. The man tried to peer into the vehicle and Daryl figured he ought to get out of the car and introduce himself. After all, if he had a daughter, he'd want to know who she was driving with. He got out and walked around the car with his hand outstretched.

"Daryl Dixon, Sir," he introduced himself.

"George Taylor," the man responded, shaking Daryl's hand while frowning at him, probably wondering who the hell he was. Daryl was suddenly very self-conscious about his clothes, from the dirty green muscle shirt to the ripped up jeans. He certainly didn't belong in this neighbourhood.

"Daddy, Daryl is Ed's roommate. He and Kevin were at the diner and offered to change my tire for me," Carol explained, "Then Kevin left and Daryl needed a ride so he came with me to make sure I got home safe."

George Taylor's face seemed to change after this explanation and he offered Daryl a kind smile, "Thank you for helping my girl, Son. That was a decent thing to do."

Daryl blushed and tried to shrug it off, "It was really nothin', Sir. Just a little flat. It's in the trunk. There should be no problems fixin' it if ya take it to the mechanic in town."

"We'll definitely do that," George assured him, "but in the meantime, it wouldn't feel right to just send you on your way with nothing."

Daryl balked at the idea of taking anything from the Taylor family. He didn't change Carol's tire for anything. He changed it because she needed it and he was happy to help her. He shook his head and refused, "That ain't necessary, Sir. Just glad Carol got home safe."

"Daddy, maybe Daryl can stay for dinner?" Catherine piped up, making Daryl jump a little. He had forgotten that she was there. George smiled.

"That's a wonderful idea, Catherine," he told his youngest.

"I don't wanna intrude," Daryl said hesitantly. He wasn't dressed for dinner nor did he have a right to step into such a nice house.

"You wouldn't be intruding," George said kindly, "My wife always makes more than we need and it would be an honor to have you at my table, Daryl. It's the least we could do after you helped Carol with her tire."

Sensing that he was not going to win this disagreement, Daryl conceded, "I suppose I could stay."

"Great!" Catherine cheered, "You can help me carry all this stuff into the garage."

"Cath, Daryl didn't come here to carry all of your art stuff," Carol reminded her sister.

"But surely he wouldn't mind helping, right, Daryl?" Catherine asked.

"Uh, sure, I guess," Daryl said, shrugging.

"Well, after you kids get the art supplies into the garage, head on inside. I'm sure your mother would like to meet Daryl, Carol," George told Carol. Daryl stomach churned at the thought of meeting Carol's mother, but he did as he promised and helped Carol and Catherine move all of Catherine's art stuff into the garage. Then he followed the pair up onto the porch, stopping just before he crossed the threshold to remove his work boots. He didn't want to get dirt onto the floors inside.

That seemed to be a smart move on his part. The Taylor house was immaculate. There was a staircase as soon as they walked in. To the right, there was a sitting room and to the left, a dining room. Carol and Catherine led Daryl down the hallway beside the staircase to the back of the house where the kitchen was. The most heavenly smells were coming out of that kitchen and Daryl felt his stomach rumble. When they entered the room, a tall woman with reddish brown hair was standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot.

"Hey, Mom," Carol called out. The woman turned around and frowned when her eyes landed on Daryl. He was suddenly reminded of a moment when he was fifteen. He had unknowingly got too close to a pair of bear cubs in the forest and he had had to scramble away before the mother decided to eliminate him. He felt that same fear at this moment as Mrs. Taylor observed him. She crossed the floor so that she was closer, ready to protect her cubs from the intruder.

"I'm Rose Taylor," she introduced herself, "Carol and Catherine's mother."

"D-Daryl Dixon, Ma'am," Daryl stammered, holding out his hand, which she shook cautiously.

"Daryl is Ed's roommate," Carol interjected, "I ran into him at work, which was really good because I had a flat tire. He changed it for me and then rode back to town with me to make sure the spare tire didn't give me trouble."

Rose's expression seemed to soften and she asked, "You helped my daughter?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Daryl confirmed.

"Daddy said that Daryl should stay for supper, Mama," Catherine said.

"Absolutely," Rose agreed, "It wouldn't be right to send you on your way without a token of our thanks."

"It's really not necessary, Ma'am," Daryl insisted, not used to being made out to be some hero. All he did was change a tire.

"Nonsense," Rose replied, moving back to the stove, "It's the least we can do. Catherine, come throw in the baked potato, please, and then you and Carol can set the table."

"Yes, Mama," the girls said together, jumping to work. Daryl figured that Rose Taylor ran a pretty tight ship around here.

"Now, Daryl, why don't you go get cleaned up," Rose suggested, "The bathroom is just across the hall."

Daryl nodded and thanked her before retreating to the bathroom. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and cringed. He was dirty and sweaty from work and his hair resembled a rat's nest. No wonder Carol's mother had been on edge when she first saw him. He set to work scrubbing at his hands, arms, neck, and face before he ran his hands through his hair, feeling each tangle. Maybe Merle was right. Maybe Daryl ought to cut his hair. At least he'd look a bit more presentable and he wouldn't have to deal with all the knots and tangles. Not to mention he wouldn't have to listen to his brother telling him to get a haircut every other day.

Finally, he was satisfied that he looked a little less like a drifter and exited the bathroom. He didn't exactly know where to go now, so he lingered in the doorway of the kitchen. Rose and Catherine weren't there, but Carol was standing at the counter taking down five glasses from the cupboard. She smiled when she saw him and he felt his heart jump up into his throat.

"Hey," she greeted sheepishly, "I'm sorry. My parents can be pretty insistent."

"It's alright," he shrugged.

"Are you sure?" Carol asked, "You seem a little uncomfortable."

"I'm fine," Daryl assured her, "Wish I didn't look like such a hobo."

"They'll understand that you just got off work. Nobody's perfect, Daryl," Carol told him, "C'mon. We're just all sitting down."

He followed her into the dining room and took the seat beside her. George was at the head of the table. Catherine was across from Daryl and Carol. Rose was at the other end on Daryl's right. The meal looked fantastic. It was pork chops with baked potato and corn on the cob. Daryl's mouth was watering, but before he could dish up his plate, the family bowed their heads and joined hands. Daryl found himself holding Rose's hand in his right and Carol's hand in his left. Daryl focused solely on the feel of Carol's soft, smooth hand in his rough and calloused one. This might be the only chance he ever had to hold her hand and he was determined to commit it to memory. He didn't even hear the blessing that George was giving and it was only reluctantly that he let go of Carol's hand when it was over.

"So, Daryl, what is it that you do, Son?" George asked. It was inevitable, really, that Daryl would get asked the question.

"I work roads for the county," Daryl answered, "I spray herbicide."

"So you work for Hal Larken, then?" George asked, "Decent guy. Good friends with my brother-in-law."

"He's alright. My boss back in Louisville recommended me and my brother to him when we moved down," Daryl said, "I guess they were friends or something."

"What did you do in Louisville?" Catherine asked.

"Worked in a mechanic shop," Daryl revealed.

"So that's how you knew how to change Carol's tire," Catherine said, "You know, our uncle owns a mechanic shop in Louisville. Dan Kirkland."

Daryl's eyes widened in recognition, "My boss was Dan Kirkland," he confirmed.

"Well isn't that a strange coincidence," Rose observed, "Daniel is my younger brother."

"That is strange," Daryl said with a chuckle, "He's a good guy."

"Did you know Katie, my cousin?" Carol asked curiously, looking over at him.

"I did, actually," Daryl replied, shaking his head as he remembered the girl that used to drink with him, Merle, and the other two shop hands after hours, "Used to follow Merle 'round like a puppy."

"Who's Merle?" George questioned.

"My brother," Daryl answered as he carefully cut up his pork chop, "I live with him and Ed."

"Out on Triumph Street, correct?" George prodded, "One of Calhoun's houses?"

"That'd be the one," Daryl confirmed.

"I figured as much," George said, "There had to be a reason for Ed Peletier moving into that house and if I'm guessing right, you and your brother needed a roommate to battle all these rent increases Lenny Calhoun's been wanting these days."

"Ya hit that one on the head," Daryl told him, "If I had my way, Ed wouldn't have moved in to begin with, but Merle don't like spendin' too much money on rent."

"You don't like Ed, Daryl?" Rose asked him. Daryl froze when he realized how that comment must have sounded. He didn't really know what to say. On the one hand, he hated the guy, but on the other, Carol loved him for some reason. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and sound that she had also gone very still. Across the table, Catherine was looking between her mother and Carol, almost as if waiting for something.

"Uh, well, I don't really…uh…know him so good," Daryl stammered, "I just meant that I like my space is all, Ma'am."

"Well, we barely know him at all," Rose told him, her tone disapproving. Out of the corner of Daryl's eye, he saw Carol cringe as her mother continued, "Did you know that Carol's been seeing this boy for almost a year and her daddy and I have yet to meet him?"

No, Daryl did not know that, but before he could reply, Carol protested.

"Mother-"

"Now, hush, Carol Ann," Rose chided her daughter, "It is not proper for a boy to be seeing a girl without meeting her parents."

"Disrespectful is what it is," George added, focusing for the moment on his meal. Daryl found himself nodding along, enjoying the fact that he wasn't the only one in this house that thought Ed was an asshole.

"Exactly," Rose agreed, "What do you think, Daryl?"

Daryl felt put on the spot as all eyes turned on him. He hastily swallowed the bit of potato in his mouth and said, "Don't hardly know, Ma'am," he told her, checking Carol's reaction out of the corner of his eye, "With all the movin' 'round I done since I graduated high school, I ain't had much time to date nobody. I ain't never met no girl's parents before."

It was an honest statement. He didn't think a few quick fucks were considered dating and in any case, he wasn't going to bring that up to the Taylors. It also saved him from answering one way or another. He had a feeling that if he agreed with her mother, Carol might not be too pleased.

"That's a shame," Rose said, "You seem like such a nice young man."

Daryl flushed, "Uh, thank you, Ma'am."

"Where are you from originally, Daryl?" George wondered, changing the topic when he noticed how uncomfortable Daryl seemed to be with the conversation.

"Clayton," Daryl answered, "Clayton, Georgia."

"Are your parents still up that way?" Rose asked. Daryl stiffened, but answered anyways.

"My pa is still there. Don't have much to do with him, though. He ain't the best sort of man. My ma died when I was nine," he said.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry," Rose fretted, "That must have been so hard for you."

Her sentiments were genuine and Daryl was a bit surprised. He got that all the time whenever he told someone about his mother, but Rose seemed to be genuinely concerned for him. He shrugged his shoulders, "I had Merle and my grandparents lived close by so I usually went there or to my Uncle Jess's place. When I turned eighteen, I wanted to get out of town. Find some work."

"Do you have any plans for the future?" George asked, "Or are you planning on moving again?"

"I think we're gonna be here for a while," Daryl answered him, "I'm savin' up to go to college."

"College? And what do you want to do there?" George wondered.

"I wanna be a wildlife biologist," Daryl explained, "They study the environments and habitats of different organisms and then can use all that data to help make decisions about protection and hunting regulations."

"That sounds like a very exciting career," Rose told him, "What made you decide to go into it?"

"When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time outside in the forest. It was where I'd go to get away from everythin'," he revealed, "It always…made me mad…when I'd see people destroyin' the forest or huntin' out of season. My pa was real bad for huntin' out of season. Problem with that is that it affects everythin' else in the forest and messes with the balance. It's one thing to hunt durin' huntin' season, but another thing to do it for the hell of it."

"So you want to save the forest? Like a tree-hugger?" Catherine piped up. Daryl cringed at the word.

"Catherine!" the girl was scolded by her father, mother, and sister.

"Sorry," she muttered across the table, looking very chastised.

"It's alright," Daryl assured her, "My brother says the same thing all the time."

"It sounds like a very good cause," George told him, "After all, with the way the forests are being tore down these days, we should be looking into protecting them so that we can continue to enjoy them. Sometimes we have to step up and fight for the things that really matter in this world."

Daryl nodded, and almost against his will, his eyes shifted over to glance at Carol. For the first time in his life, he had found someone besides Merle that was starting to matter to him. Maybe he ought to make his feelings known. Maybe she ought to know that she had a choice.

But then would he lose her friendship? He had already determined that it wasn't easy to stay away from her. Could he handle it if she didn't want to see him? His stomach churned at the thought. He had only known the woman for two and a half weeks and he could already feel a hole in his life if she ever decided to walk out of it. He swallowed hard and started in on eating his corn.

**_0 – TSR – 0_**

With dinner done and the dishes cleared up, Carol offered to drive Daryl home. He was quiet, simply watching the rain drops slide down the window. The dinner had really opened her eyes to him. He had told her parents things that even she had yet to find out. She hadn't known about his mother and despite all his talk about wanting to be a wildlife biologist, she had never heard him say exactly why he chose that field. He had sounded so passionate about it, just like he had in the diner a couple weeks ago.

Her parents had liked him and on their way out, her mother and father both said that he was welcome anytime and that if he ever needed something, he should call.

"I hope that was okay," Carol ventured into the silence, "Mama and Daddy can come off like cops or something for the way they fire questions at people."

"It was fine," Daryl told her, "They seem nice."

"They like you," Carol said, "In the kitchen, Mama told me that she thought you were a 'fine young man'," she teased, earning a nervous chuckle from him as his face turned a little red.

"No one's ever called me that before," Daryl admitted.

"Well, it's true," Carol confirmed for him, "You are a good man, Daryl. A really good one."

She got another chuckle from him and he said, "Ya only sayin' that 'cause I changed your tire."

"No, I'm saying it because it's true," Carol corrected him. And it was. From the moment she met him, Carol had thought that about him. He was polite and respectful. He defended her and came to her aid when she needed it. He was probably one of a kind and she was happy to know him and to be able to call him friend. For a moment, though, she felt a little sad as she thought about some other woman that would someday call him husband. She didn't know where the thought came from and dismissed it.

"With ya tire, ya gotta remember to take it in as soon as ya can," Daryl suddenly said as they got closer to his place, "Ain't good to be drivin' on the donut for long."

"I'll call in to work tomorrow morning and say I'm not going to be in until noon or something. That should give me time to get it fixed," she decided.

"Be careful there," Daryl cautioned, "Sometimes these folks'll try to tell ya that ya tires are no good and sell ya brand new ones. Yours still got a lot of tread left. Tell 'em just to fix the damn tire and if they don't, bring it to me and I'll fix it for ya," he promised.

"Okay. I'll do that," Carol assured him as she pulled up in front of his house, "Thank you, Daryl. For everything."

"Thank you," Daryl replied, fidgeting a little, "Uh, ya gonna come inside? Looks like Ed's home."

Carol found that she didn't really feel like going inside and having to explain to Ed what had happened and how she had come to drive Daryl home. Besides, she didn't always come to this house for Ed. She shook her head and told him, "I have to go. I came here for you, not for Ed."

Daryl clearly remembered their earlier conversation and he looked a little dumbstruck for a moment. Then he nodded his head.

"Well, alright. Let me know what happens with ya tire," he requested before opening the door and running through the rain up to his front step. She watched him disappear inside and then she drove off.

**TBC**

**AN: ****This was planned from the get-go and I'm happy with the way it came out. Hope you all enjoyed it! :)**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	11. Chapter 11

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 11**

Merle fell back onto the pillows, chuckling a little as he tried to catch his breath.

"Well, fuck, Darlin'," he breathed, "Haven't had that kind of workout in a while."

The woman offered him a syrupy smile and rolled over onto her stomach so that she could look down at him, "You could have it more often if you came to visit me every now and again."

Merle looked over at her for a long moment. Her name was Faye and she was a couple years older than Merle. She worked as a waitress at the local burger joint during the day and at night, she worked at the bar. She had two kids and a deadbeat ex-husband. She was a good lay, though, but the problem was that she was looking for a daddy for her boys, something that Merle refused to be. He raised his brow at the brunette and sat up a little, "It's a long drive, Darlin', and Daryl's always got the damn truck."

She rolled her eyes and frowned, "It's across town, Merle, not across the state. You could throw a rock and hit my house."

Merle chuckled, "Good thing I don't take to throwin' rocks, then."

Faye's frown quickly turned into a scowl, "So in other words, I'm good for a fuck every once in a while, but not good enough to see on a regular basis."

"Well, now ya getting' it, Sweet-cheeks," Merle commented.

"You're such an ass," she told him, moving to the edge of the bed to find her clothes.

"The hell ya goin'?" Merle demanded, smirking a little at her, which only seemed to incense her more.

"Away from you," she snapped at him as she put her bra in place, "What the hell is the point of this when you're the only one getting anything out of it?"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure ya got somethin' out of it," Merle reminded her, that smirk of his still firmly in place. She paused after slipping on her pants and shot him an icy look.

"I didn't get anything that I couldn't get with my detachable showerhead, Merle," Faye told him before she went back to dressing herself. Ouch. Well, that was a blow to the old ego. Thankfully, Merle's skin was thick.

"Well, if that's the case, what the hell d'ya want me to come around more often for?" he shot at her.

"Apparently, it was clearly a moment of insanity," she griped, pulling on her shirt and moving to the door, "Don't get up, Merle. I'll show myself out."

Merle rolled his eyes and lay back down on the bed simply to prove a point, "And here I didn't think ya could do a damn thing without me."

"It's actually better without you," she called back to him. Then she stormed off, slamming the front door.

Merle laughed to himself. She liked it and she knew it. She was just pissed at him. No woman could say that she was better off without Merle Dixon, but he could safely say that he was better off without them. The last thing that Merle wanted was to settle down. He didn't want no girlfriend to harp at him. He didn't want to shell out all his hard earned money for a ring and a wedding. He certainly didn't want no damn brats in his life, especially ones that came about from another man's fuck-up. He wasn't built to be the relationship type and that suited him just fine…it just didn't suit the women he tended to hook up with. They couldn't stop at just one hit.

Speaking of hits…

He glanced outside, taking note of how the rain outside had seemed to quit. He scowled.

He had been sent home on account of the rain and he had hoped that the rain would last until the weekend. That way, he could get high and not have to worry about random piss tests at work until next week. It looked like Merle wouldn't get his wish, which sucked a lot.

Then there was a knock on the door. He smirked a little to himself. Probably Faye back for more…though he didn't recognize the car that was outside. Rethinking his initial plan to answer the door in his best birthday suit, he pulled on a pair of green sweatpants and padded out into the hall. He opened the door and to his surprise, he found Ed's girl standing there.

"Um, hi, Merle," Carol said, a little disarmed as if Merle was the last man she expected to answer the door.

"Miss Taylor," Merle greeted, leaning against the door jam, "'Fraid ya man ain't off work yet."

"Oh. Okay," Carol said, blinking a little, "I was actually here to see Daryl."

Merle's eyebrows shot to his hairline and he asked, "My brother?"

"Yeah," Carol confirmed, "Is he home?"

"He's still at work," Merle answered.

"Oh, I didn't know he could spray when it's raining," Carol said. Merle's dubious expression remained fixed on his face. How did the little woman know so much about his brother's job?

"He can't," Merle told her, "He's puttin' signs up today. What're ya lookin' for him for?"

"I actually came to drop this off," Carol said, gesturing to the box she was holding. She opened the lid and Merle was treated with a large and highly edible pie. It smelled heavenly. Apple, most likely.

"That for him?" Merle questioned, his eyes wide.

"My mama and I made it this morning," Carol told him, "Sort of as a thank you. He really helped me out yesterday."

"Did he now?" Merle wondered, the first he had heard about Daryl helping anyone out yesterday, "Always the sweet one, he is."

"He is," Carol agreed, "Can you see that he gets this?"

"I'll do that, Darlin'," Merle promised her, taking the box, "Be my pleasure. Ya don't wanna come in, now, Sugar?"

She seemed to think on it for a moment before nodding. He let her in and then led her back to the kitchen. She was silent as they walked and it was only when Merle looked back at her to offer her a beverage did he see why. Her eyes lingered on his bare back and the scars that painted his skin.

"Women love 'em," he told her, shaking off the twinge of annoyance that he felt when anybody stared at his back, "Sweat tea?"

"Oh, uh, yes, please," Carol responded, looking a little ashamed at being caught staring. Merle set to work pouring two glasses of tea and then slid one over to her.

"So, Lil' Brother helped ya out yesterday, huh?" he asked as he sat down at the table.

"Changed my tire," Carol answered.

"Ah, so that's why the boy was late last night," Merle said, nodding his head, "How'd that happen?"

"I picked up a nail," Carol said, "It was a lucky thing that Daryl and Kevin were stopping by the Harvest Garden for dinner. Daryl changed my tire real quick and then he came over to my place for supper."

Merle had not been told any of this and found it all quite interesting, "Well, I'd imagine he liked that. All we had here last night was a couple of 'em microwave dinners."

"I guess we should have invited you guys along," Carol admitted, sipping her tea, "What did you and Ed do last night?"

"Oh, nothin' too exitin'," Merle dismissed, not really interested in telling her that her boyfriend smoked half of Merle's stash before Merle hid it, "So tell me, when are ya gonna come back and cook for us again?"

They talked for a while, mostly small talk, before they heard the front door open.

"Merle, whose shoes are these?" Daryl's voice echoed through the house.

"Why don't ya come on back and see for yerself!" Merle called back. He listened as Daryl made his way through the house, his hair damp and hanging into his eyes as his wet clothes clung to his body. Merle noted the look of surprise on Daryl's face upon seeing Carol in their kitchen and then, low and behold, his baby brother actually smiled.

"Carol," Daryl breathed, his voice soft and pleasant.

"Hey, Daryl," Carol greeted him with a smile as well, "I brought you a pie…as a thank you for yesterday."

Daryl's eyes travelled to the opened box on the table and to the pie that was missing about three slices. He shook his head, "Ya ain't gotta do that."

"Really, it was all Mama," Carol corrected, "When I got up this morning, she was already in the kitchen whipping this up. Told me to swing by and deliver it to you after I got my tire fixed."

"Oh," Daryl said, a little taken aback, "Well, that was mighty nice of her. Ya thank her for me," he requested before asking, "So, ya tire's fixed alright?"

"They said it was a good thing that I didn't drive on it," Carol told him, "They also said that I might need new tires soon, though-"

"Ya don't," Daryl cut her off, "Them tires looked damn fine to me yesterday. Still plenty of tread."

Merle idly wondered what else Daryl found yesterday that looked damn fine.

Carol laughed, "Well, that answers my next question."

Daryl chuckled a little too and leaned back on the counter, apparently ready to settle in for a long conversation, an odd turn of events considering that for the last week and a half, the boy had been almost running out of the room whenever she came over.

"Been thinkin'," Daryl ventured, "When was the last time ya had an oil change?"

"It's been a while," Carol confessed sheepishly, "Couple months at least."

"I could check it for ya," Daryl offered, "Change it too, if ya need."

Merle's eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he listened to the offer.

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Carol refused.

"Don't mind," Daryl insisted, "Would hate for ya to be stranded on the side of the road somewhere."

Carol smiled again and teased, "What, you wouldn't come rescue me again?"

"I'd come," Daryl promised her, reflecting her smile back at her.

Merle glanced between the pair, all smiles and if he didn't know any better, he'd say they were even flirting a little. He decided to interject, "That's what she said."

"Merle, ya bonehead," Daryl protested, going back to his usual scowl-y self.

"Ya set it up, Brother," Merle reminded him, "Now sit down and have ya ass some pie."

Daryl rolled his eyes and sat down across the table. Merle leaned back some, watching the pair as they continued to talk and feeling distinctly like a third wheel.

**_0 – TSR – 0_**

Carol hadn't smiled so much in quite some time, but she felt at ease in the Dixon brothers' kitchen. On this visit, Merle seemed quieter somehow, which allowed her to focus more on Daryl, who seemed pleased to see her. He was so different from her last few visits and Carol found that she was happy that they had talked yesterday. He was warm, leaning forward over the table to talk, and he seemed to smile more. He didn't seem to want to leave the kitchen, sitting there in damp clothes that clung to his body as he ate pie.

At the thought, her eyes drifted over the light blue long-sleeved shirt that seemed to cling to him like a second skin. She could see the outline of his chest and the definition of his shoulders through the fabric. His body was different from Ed's. It was leaner and more muscular. It was also different from Merle's. Carol glanced over to the older Dixon brother, who had yet to put on a shirt. He was muscular, but bulky, whereas Daryl was lithe and trim. She supposed that their ages had to do with the differences in body type, but somehow she couldn't see Daryl as a bulky man or a man with a beer belly. He seemed like the type of man who would try to take care of himself.

"All damn day," he was saying, "Kevin decides to sing that damn song, 'Singin' in the Rain'. Was 'bout ready to smack him."

"Sounds like Elton, alright," Merle muttered.

"Elton?" Carol asked, frowning.

"Merle's stupid nickname for Kev," Daryl explained, shaking his head, "Says Kev's like Elton John with all the singin' and the glasses."

It was an interesting comparison, but Carol doubted that those were Merle's only reasons for the nickname. Kevin was a very eccentric guy.

"He likes it," Daryl assured her, "Even sings Elton John whenever Merle's around."

"That sounds like Kevin," Carol laughed, "When we were in high school-"

The front door opening caused Carol to pause. She figured that only one other person would walk into the house without knocking and sure enough, Ed came around the corner.

"What smells so damn good?" he asked, not yet realizing that she was there, but upon entering the kitchen, Ed asked, "Carol, what're you doin' here?"

"Oh, I was just-"

"Droppin' pie off for all of us," Merle cut in, gesturing to the half-eaten box, "Come sit down, Eddie. Have a slice."

Ed seemed to frown a little as he did as Merle asked, draping his jacket over the back of the extra chair and then sitting down in it. He took a piece on an extra plate and then looked over at Carol, "So what's with the pie, Baby?"

"Mama was baking this morning and told me to drop a pie off," Carol told him, leaving out the part where her mother had said that the pie was for 'that nice Dixon boy'. She had a feeling that Ed would not appreciate that and with a glance over at Merle, it was clear that he thought the same thing. She remembered all too well how insecure he could be about their relationship and the last thing she wanted to do was cause trouble.

"And you decided to wait for me to get home, huh?" Ed asked in between mouthfuls.

"Yes," Carol answered, glancing down at her hands. That hadn't been her intention at all. She just liked talking with Daryl and Merle.

"Well, good," Ed said before turning to Merle, "Where the hell's your shirt?"

Merle chuckled, "My damn house. Be thankful I got pants on."

Carol found herself blushing at the comment. Ed was frowning even harder and said, "Ain't no way to act 'round a lady, Merle."

"It's fine, Ed," Carol said quickly, catching his attention. Ed cut his eyes to her and she saw that he did not seem happy. He breathed in and then looked over across the table to Daryl, who was now sitting up straight with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you doing sittin' there in wet clothes? Why don't you go change?" he asked.

"Might be a good idea," Daryl conceded, already up and out of his chair before he finished speaking. Carol blinked for a moment, recognizing that Daryl was fleeing again, except that it wasn't her presence that he was fleeing. She looked over at Ed, who had returned to glancing over at Merle.

"Seriously, Man, you're at a table. Put on a shirt," Ed griped.

"What the hell does it matter to ya?" Merle wondered, leaning back in his chair and resting his feet on his brother's empty chair.

"It matters because it's disgusting," Ed told him.

Merle just relaxed further back and said, "If it bothers ya so fuckin' much, then ya free to go. Ain't stoppin' ya."

Ed narrowed his eyes at Merle and Carol felt uncomfortable with the resulting silence. It was like Ed was trying to challenge Merle and Merle was refusing to give him the time of day. Finally, Ed let his fork clatter down onto his plate and stood up.

"Carol, come on," he said, reaching for her wrist and tugging her up. She went with him, following him back towards his bedroom.

"Ed, what was that all about?" Carol questioned as he shut the door.

"I'm sorry that I didn't get home sooner," Ed apologized, "If I had known you were coming over, I would have got home earlier so you wouldn't have to sit with them."

"I didn't mind," Carol told him, "They're very nice."

Ed chuckled, "Of course they're nice," he snorted, "I told you all about them, Carol Ann. They're just looking to get into your pants."

Carol couldn't help but frown, "Ed, I don't think so. They're not like that."

"Don't be naïve, Carol," he told her, coming towards her to tilt her face up to his, "It's all an act. They're sneaky."

"They're my friends, Ed. I would have thought that you'd be okay with that," she said.

"You can be friends with whoever you want, Carol Ann, but I just don't want to see you get hurt," Ed said, pressing up against her. She could feel his erection pressing against her, "I love you too much to ever want to see you get hurt by the likes of them."

"They wouldn't hurt me," Carol said firmly, thinking of Daryl and his infinite kindness. Daryl Dixon was the last man that would ever hurt her.

"I hope that's true," Ed said, rubbing his thumb across her cheek, "I don't want to lose you. You make me so crazy," he murmured before he leaned in to kiss her.

**_0 – TSR – 0_**

Daryl had changed out of his wet clothes and felt a lot better…until he heard the door close next door. He scowled. The last thing he wanted to hear was another short performance on the other side of the wall, not when the woman starring in that performance was the one that he couldn't get out of his head. He got up off of the bed. He needed to get out of there before they started doing it.

But just as he approached the door, his older brother came in, holding a plate with a piece of pie and a fork on it.

"Hidin'?" Merle asked.

"What're ya talkin' about?" Daryl deflected, his eyes scanning the doorway for a gap that he could escape through, but his brother's massive frame seemed to trap him in the room.

"Talkin' 'bout what normally happens whenever the lil' lady comes over," Merle said, "Ya normally run off to hide as soon as she steps into the house."

Daryl scowled and shook his head, "Ain't neither," he said defiantly. Merle nodded his head.

"Well, ya sure didn't scamper off today," Merle conceded, leaning against the doorway with his slice of pie, "Stayed quite a while to talk to the lil' mouse. Offerin' to check out under her hood and everythin'."

Daryl flushed. Why did Merle have to make everything sound so dirty? He shook his head and responded, "Damn decent thing to do, ain't it?"

"Well sure," Merle shrugged, "I mean ya did change her tire and all…and then ya had dinner with her and her folks…and then she brings ya pie and you're all smiles and moon eyes at her."

Suddenly Daryl knew where this was going and he wanted out worse than ever, fidgeting and twitching. He suddenly really wanted a cigarette.

And then the knocking of a headboard against the wall started. Daryl jumped at the sound and looked towards the wall, his face twisted up as he realized what was happening on the other side. He looked away and saw that his brother was also surveying the wall in interest. Daryl wanted to be out of there, yes, but suddenly he wanted Merle out of there even more. He didn't want his brother to hear Carol.

"Let's go out to the living room," Daryl suggested.

"Let's stay," Merle said, setting the now empty plate on Daryl's dresser.

"Merle," Daryl growled in warning, "Let's go."

"I think we oughta stay right here, Lil' Brother," Merle said as the banging on the other side increased. Daryl cringed at the sound. He moved forward, intent on forcing his way out.

Merle was immovable, though, effortlessly pushing Daryl back into the room as if he was an irksome fly.

"Dammit, Merle!" Daryl cursed. The banging stopped with a loud grunt and Merle smirked.

"Was that even a minute?" Merle wondered, looking over at the wall.

"Would ya move ya ass now?" Daryl snapped, making another attempt to slip by him. This time Merle grabbed him by the shoulder and held him in place,

"Ya got a thing for the mouse, Boy?" Merle wondered.

"Let me go, Merle," Daryl glowered at him.

"She ain't yours, Brother," Merle told him, as if Daryl didn't already know, "She's got herself a man…well, a minute man, but she's his."

"Let me go," Daryl repeated.

"Ya go after her, Brother, and shit's gonna hit the fan," Merle said firmly, "Ya know that, right?"

"Merle-"

"You know that?" Merle asked again. Daryl nodded his head slightly and was released when he twisted out of his brother's grasp. Daryl finally succeeded in pushing past him and fled for the backyard, fumbling for a cigarette before he had even exited the patio door. He stepped out into the crisp air and was thankful that it wasn't raining at the moment. He easily lit his cigarette and let the nicotine flow into him.

He scowled when he heard the patio open again. He knew it would be Merle. He snapped out, "What now?"

"Brother, ya gotta know ya place here," Merle said, "Ya can't be fallin' for the girl. She's datin' our roommate for Christ's sake."

"I know that," Daryl muttered.

"Ya best remember it," Merle advised him, "Forget about her, Brother. Ain't nothin' for ya with her."

And deep down, Daryl knew that was true. Carol would never leave Ed for him. It just didn't work like that. He wasn't the kind of man that got a girl like Carol.

He was her friend and nothing more. He was happy being her friend.

Right?

**TBC**

**AN: ****So Merle knows that his brother has feelings for our lovely Carol. Too bad he's not exactly supportive of it.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	12. Chapter 12

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 12**

"I'm sorry, Baby, I can't. I have to go on up to Atlanta," Ed told Carol over the phone.

"Ed, you promised that you'd go with me," Carol protested.

"I know," Ed said, "but hey, why don't you come up to the city with me?" he asked.

"I promised Catherine that I'd come see her play," Carol said quietly.

"She'll be in the play again tomorrow night," Ed dismissed, "How often do we get to go on up to the city?"

Carol hesitated. She had promised her sister that she would go to the opening night and she didn't want to let her down.

"Ed, I can't," she said. She listened to silence on the other end of the phone. Then Ed spoke again.

"You can't or you won't?" Ed wondered, "Honestly, Carol Ann, sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one committed to this relationship."

"I'm committed," Carol assured him softly.

"I hope so," Ed said, "I gotta go. Will you at least come out and meet me tonight?"

"I will," Carol promised, figuring that it was the least she could do.

"Good. Should be home around one. Meet me in the park by your place," he told her before he hung up. Carol set the phone back in its cradle with a frown. It bothered her a lot that he thought that she wasn't committed to their relationship. It was just that she made a promise to her sister and she had never broken a promise to Catherine before. She really didn't want to have to go back into the living room and tell her parents that Ed had cancelled. They had been looking forward to finally meeting Ed at Catherine's play. She stood in the archway that separated the front hall from the living room and observed her mother and father as they sat in their respective chairs. They were both wearing their best clothes.

"Well?" her father asked, folding up his paper, "When is Edward coming over?"

"He had an emergency trip to run up to Atlanta," Carol replied, "He had to go."

She grimaced as her parents' faces seemed frown in unison. Both of them seemed not to like Ed and once again, Carol found herself wishing that he hadn't cancelled. Her parents just needed a chance to meet him and ge to know him.

"An emergency trip, hmmm?" George asked.

"Yes, Daddy," Carol said.

"And he couldn't postpone it?" Rose demanded, "Not even after he said that he would be here?"

"He said it was really important, Mama," Carol maintained, shifting from foot to foot under her mother's gaze.

"We have four tickets," George reminded them, his frown resembling more of a scowl now, "What a waste."

Carol didn't know what to say in response to that and was thankful when Catherine came thundering down the stairs wearing her costume for the play. She was playing the main character's wife in 'Death of a Salesman' and was dressed in their grandmother's old dress. She'd get her make-up done at the hall where the play was going to be performed.

"So when are we going?" Catherine wondered, "When Ed gets here?"

"Apparently Edward had better things to do," Rose sniffed, "He's not coming and now we're a person short. Your father paid for four tickets for the play and now one is going to go to waste."

"You could invite Daryl," Catherine suggested.

Carol tensed at her friend's name. For the last week, Catherine hadn't shut up about Daryl. She brought him up at every opportunity, ignoring Carol's assertion that Daryl was too old for her. For some reason, it annoyed Carol that Catherine seemed to have a little crush on the youngest Dixon.

"I don't know, Cath-"

"Why not?" Catherine shrugged, "He helped me move the props so that I could paint them. Maybe he'd want to see them now that they're all finished."

"That is a thought," Rose agreed with her youngest daughter, "He seemed to be a very nice young man. It would be a good way to thank him for helping Catherine last week."

"I thought that was what the pie was for," Carol pointed out.

"That was for helping you," Rose corrected, "Honey, call him up. I'm sure he'd appreciate a night out. I'd wager he doesn't get too many with all of the work he does."

"I guess I could," Carol decided.

**_0 – TSR – 0_**

_Daryl lay back on his bed, his nose buried in an old biology book. It was a book he had read before, but he was re-reading it to familiarize himself before he went off to school. After all, he couldn't be too far behind._

_A knock on the door stole his attention from the book._

_"Come in," he called to whoever was there._

_"It's me," a familiar voice said. Carol stepped in the doorway, her auburn curls handing down past her bare shoulders. She was wearing a red tank-top and a pair of skin-tight jeans. She smiled down at him as she approached the bed._

_"Hey," he greeted her, his breath catching in his throat as she sat down on the bed so that she was facing him, "What d'ya need?"_

_He wasn't prepared when she answered, "You."_

_Daryl swallowed hard, "Me?" he squeaked._

_And then her perfect mouth was pressed to his as her hands came up to tangle in his long locks. Daryl lost all coherent thought as he responded to the kiss, letting his tongue meet hers as they explored each other's mouths. His hands gripped her waist and tugged her onto his lap so that she was straddling him._

_"Goddamn, you're perfect," Daryl growled as he let his hands wander up her back and then down to clutch her ass._

_"So are you," she told him, pecking him on the lips once before pulling back to focus on undoing the buttons on his shirt. Her fingertips brushed his chest with each button that she undid and each touch set his body aflame, shooting tiny sparks under his skin. He needed her like a fire needed oxygen to burn. He waited until she pushed the last button from its hole and then he was pushing her top up and over her head, revealing two perfect breasts covered by a white bra. He stared for a moment and fingered the strap on her left shoulder. The white suited her. Innocence. Purity._

_She smiled down at him and then reached behind her to undo her bra, letting it fall forward before she discarded it over the side of the bed. Daryl didn't speak. He just leaned forward and tugged her closer to him so that he could take one rose-coloured nipple into his mouth._

_"Daryl!" she cried sharply, one hand coming up to fist in his hair to hold him to her chest. He felt the slight tug on his hair as her grip tightened and groaned against her skin. The need for her was growing unbearable. He pulled back and reached down to start on her pants. Realizing what he was trying to do, she pushed herself up on her knees and balanced herself by planting her hands on his shoulders. He worked the zipper of her jeans opened and tugged her jeans and panties down her hips. He growled in frustration as they only went part way down. The only solution was to flip them so that she was on her back and that was what he did. The new position allowed him to rip the jeans from her body and gave him his first view of a naked Carol._

_She was glorious, her skin a creamy white that was splattered with freckles. She was flushed and breathing hard, her breasts heaving. Daryl's eyes were drawn to the area between her legs and he was overcome with the desire to taste her, to have her flood his lips and to give her a sensation that she had probably never known with another man._

_He leaned down to that his beard could drag over her stomach as he kissed his way down her body. She gasped when she felt his mouth move against her and Daryl couldn't help but be encouraged to keep up the effort, sweeping his tongue over her dripping sex and flicking it against her clit. Soon, she was writhing on the bed, her hands gripping the sheets in a white knuckle grasp as she came. It was about the best thing that Daryl had ever experienced and he felt a bit of masculine pride over the fact that it was **him** that was making her come that way._

_"Daryl," Carol mewled, reaching over to touch his jean-clad leg._

_"Gonna make ya do that again…and again…and again," he promised. He unbuttoned his jeans and slipped them down his hips, letting his hard, throbbing member spring up. Her eyes widened slightly at the size of him and he wasted no time in lining himself up with her entrance. _

_Daryl's eyes fixated on Carol's face as he slid into her, inch by inch. He focused on the way her eyes became impossibly wide and the way her mouth fell open. He paused when he was fully seated inside of her warm, wet heat, and just watched her face as her body adjusted to him. She was overcome by a look of utter relaxation and contentment. She reached up to touch his cheek to drag him down for another kiss. He sank into it, letting her kiss ignite him. He moved slowly and carefully, still concerned for her needs. He wanted her to enjoy this. He wanted to hear her moans of pleasure and he wanted to feel her fingers digging into his skin._

_Her moan told him that he was on the right track and he sped up a little, making his thrusts more deliberate. He could feel her moving with him and knew that she was enjoying this as much as he was. Daryl never wanted to be anywhere else. He would die a happy man if he got to spend the rest of his life in this moment where he was buried deep inside of this beautiful, incredible woman. Nothing could ruin this moment for him. Nothing._

RING! RING!

Daryl jerked out of his nap by a shrill sound that he only just recognized as the phone ringing. His head still foggy from sleep, he staggered to the living room and almost knocked the phone from its cradle. They only had the phone for work purposes in case their bosses needed to get a hold of them. Most times, it was a silent fixture in their home so Daryl couldn't imagine why it was ringing now.

"Hullo?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"Daryl?"

The sound of Carol's voice on the other end woke him abruptly, taking him back to the more vivid parts of the dream that he had been ripped from. He swallowed hard and said her name in response, "Carol. What can I do for ya?" he wondered.

"I was just…I dunno. I just talked to Ed at the hardware store and…well…he was supposed to come to my sister's play tonight, but he bailed…so…uh, I thought that maybe, if you weren't doing anything, that maybe you might want his extra ticket. Maybe we could go together?" Carol asked amongst her stammering.

Daryl didn't have to think too hard on it. He relished the moments when he got to hang out with Carol without Ed breathing down their necks and without Merle scrutinizing their every move.

"Yeah," Daryl answered, "Yeah, I could go. Uh, when?"

"Seven?" Carol asked, "I'll meet you at the hall?"

"Sure. I'll get ready then," Daryl replied.

"Great," Carol said, sounding relieved, "I'll see you then."

Daryl hung up the phone and leaned against the side of the couch.

_I thought you gave up on her_, that traitorous voice in his head reminded him, _I thought you agreed with Merle and said that you weren't meant for her._

Daryl shook his head and muttered, "She's just a friend," to the empty living room.

_Right_, the voice continued, taking on a sarcastic tone,_ Friends don't have sex dreams about friends. And they don't get hard over a thirty second phone conversation with each other._

Daryl glanced down at his pants and saw that he had indeed got excited by the sound of Carol's voice…or maybe it was her performance in the dream. Neither point mattered. It all boiled down to the same thing: he wanted Carol. Badly.

"Fuck," he swore at himself. He'd have to take care of that when he jumped in the shower.

_ **0-TSR-0**_

Carol recognized Daryl's truck as soon as he pulled up. Main street was packed with cars on account of the play and Daryl had to park three buildings down. He didn't seem to mind, though, as he strolled up to her, dressed in his best dark pair of jeans and a forest green button-up shirt with long sleeves. Carol quirked a smile. She was wearing a green dress a couple of shades lighter than his shirt. They matched.

"Looks like a pretty good turn-out," Daryl observed as he approached. He didn't complain about having to park so far away and Carol found it to be a bit refreshing. Ed would have been cursing about the crowd, but Daryl just seemed a little more on guard, maybe tense, around the people.

Carol shook the thoughts off. It wasn't fair to compare the two men. They were so different.

"It is," Carol agreed, "Catherine's really excited about it."

"She ain't nervous?" Daryl asked, following her towards the doors.

"No," Carol answered, shaking her head, "Catherine's always been the more outgoing one…kind of the center of attention. She loves it."

"I'd be nervous," Daryl commented. He was already nervous, Carol observed. He kept his limbs in tight against his body, bound and determined not to touch anyone else as they waited to get inside the hall.

"I'd be nervous too," Carol replied in an effort to make him feel better, "I'm not a big fan of crowds or putting myself center stage. I like being behind the scenes."

He smiled a little at that and nodded his head, "Same. I like the quiet."

They entered the building a couple of moments later and made to find their seats. It was nothing real fancy. The Cranwall Hall was mostly used for wedding dances and funerals, but occasionally, it was the venue for the art's group to perform their plays. Chairs had been hauled out to the area that was usually the dance floor and were facing the stage. Carol and Daryl were waved over by Carol's parents and they took seats beside them.

"Daryl, good of you to come," Carol's father greeted him, reaching over to shake his hand.

"It was nice to be invited," Daryl said politely before shaking Rose's hand as well.

"I thought it might be a nice night out for you," Rose said, "I doubt you get too many nights to yourself."

"Not usually, Ma'am," Daryl admitted, "Usually I'm dog-tired from work."

"Did you work today, dear?" Rose asked him.

"Yes, Ma'am," Daryl answered, sitting down beside Carol.

"And I'd imagine that you're quite tired from that," Rose said, "and still, you decided to come out tonight. That's very kind of you."

"Ain't nothin'," Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

"What was Ed up to tonight?" Rose wondered, still speaking to Daryl. Carol supressed a groan. She knew she'd hear all about Ed not coming, but she hadn't expected her mother to bring it up around Daryl.

"Don't know. He and my brother took off up to Atlanta after work," Daryl answered.

"Convenient that Ed should go to the city on the very night he was supposed to meet us," Rose sniffed, "Honestly, it's almost as if he doesn't want anything to do with us."

"Mother, you know that's not it," Carol piped up.

"I don't know how we could think otherwise," Rose replied, shaking her head, "Daryl, what do you think of Ed?"

At this, Carol turned to look at her friend, wondering for a moment what exactly his opinion of Ed was. Daryl seemed to pause and sucked in air through his teeth.

"Uh, I don't know him that well," Daryl said carefully, "I usually…uh…steer clear of him."

The last part was the truth. Daryl never stuck around for long if Ed was in the room. Carol didn't know what to make of that. It was as almost as if he was scared of Ed, but Daryl never acted scared. He would just make an excuse and leave. It was odd. Rose was about to ask another question, but then the curtain opened and the play started.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl didn't mind the play. He had read it in high school, but at the time, he hadn't really liked it. It was different seeing it performed. His eyes were first drawn to the set. He knew that Catherine was responsible for painting it and he found that she had done a good job. He could see details in the house that the Loman's lived in and the tall buildings of the city looming behind. She had done a good job. Her acting was also pretty good. If Daryl had been up on that stage, he would have either froze or thrown up.

Every so often, Daryl would glance over at Carol. She was engrossed in the performance and looked to be enjoying herself.

At the last curtain call, Daryl found himself standing along with the rest of the crowd as they clapped for the performers.

"It was good, wasn't it?" Carol asked him.

"Yeah," he agreed, "I liked it."

"Let's wait for Catherine," Carol suggested, taking his hand and tugging him to a less crowded part of the hall. He was surprised by her touch, but he welcomed it, knowing how rare it was for them to be able to touch. Daryl suspected that Carol was trying to get away from her parents for a moment. She turned to him and smiled, "She's a little bummed that she can't go out tonight, but there's some cast party tomorrow that she's allowed to go to."

"That's good," Daryl commented, "Ya goin' with her?"

"No. It's more for kids her age," Carol shrugged, "You doing anything after this?"

"Wasn't plannin' on it. You?" Daryl asked.

"I was going to meet Ed at one. That's when he said he'd be back," Carol answered, "but don't tell my parents, though. They don't exactly approve of me staying out late."

"Alright, but I doubt they're gonna be back by one," Daryl said doubtfully, "Merle's good for partyin' 'til four, five in the mornin'."

"Ed's not like that," Carol said quickly, almost like she was defending him. And if was kind of annoying because Daryl knew that Ed was _exactly_ like that. He knew that Ed smoked, drank, and got high, and when he did, he would speak poorly about his girlfriend. That was why Daryl couldn't stand to be around Ed. Daryl's self-control was pretty good, but being around Ed made him want to punch the man's lights out.

Daryl said nothing in response. If he did say something, it would likely cause some trouble. He leaned back against the wall and shrugged his shoulders.

After a moment, Carol spoke again, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"That was you snappin'?" Daryl asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

"It's just that…my parents don't seem to like Ed at all and they don't care that I love him," Carol explained, "It feels like I'm always defending Ed to them and I really don't want to have to do the same thing with you."

Daryl wanted to tell her that she shouldn't have to defend Ed at all if he was half the man that he claimed to be. Ed wasn't worth it. Instead, Daryl opted to lie again, "Like I said, I don't really know the guy. Only know what I've been seein' this last month."

"And what have you been seeing?" Carol asked, looking up at him. Daryl thought about it. He really hated her boyfriend, but if he told her that, she would probably get pissed at him. He didn't want that and yet, he didn't want her to be totally ignorant of the fact that her boyfriend was an asshole. He suddenly really wanted a cigarette.

"He punched me in the face," Daryl said, "He don't help with no yard work or cleanin'. He ain't the best roommate out there, but Merle's bound and determined to make it work, so I gotta just suck it up and deal with shit."

"Daryl, he didn't mean to punch you-"

"I think he did," Daryl cut across her. There was a hurt look on her face and for a moment, he felt bad for making her look that way, but only for a moment, "And ya can think I'm an asshole all ya want for tellin' ya this, but it's the damn truth, Carol. Just 'cause a man is drunk don't give him an excuse to hit ya."

"He didn't know what he was doing," Carol maintained, "It's…it's complicated."

Daryl looked at her for a moment and knew that he had crossed a line. Her eyes were downcast and her voice was low. He sighed, "What'd'ya want me to say, Carol? Ya want me to lie to ya and say I like the guy? He ain't gave me no reason to sing his praises so I ain't gonna. I get that you're in love with him and all. So be it. If that's who ya choose, fine. I said my piece and I ain't gonna say no more on the subject. Ain't gonna judge ya or tell ya who ya oughta be with. I'll be your friend if ya still want me to, but just so we clear, just 'cause I'm your friend don't mean I'm his."

Carol was silent for a moment and Daryl felt like it was one of the most awkward moments of his life. He really should've kept his damn mouth shut. The possibility that he could lose her friendship sort of scared him, but what was the point if he had to pretend? Your friends are supposed to be able to see the real you, after all. At least that's what he always felt, which was part of the reason that he had never had any real close friends. He'd never let them see past his walls. He'd never let them in his mind because he was sure that they just couldn't take it. He had thought that Carol was different. He didn't know why, but he did. There was just something about her that made him want to bare his soul to her. Maybe that was a mistake.

Then she raised her blue eyes to his, making his heart skip a beat. To his surprise, she nodded her head and said, "I value our friendship, Daryl. I do. I feel like I can tell you things that I can't tell anyone else and I wouldn't trade that for the world. I just…Ed's my boyfriend and…"

"I said all I'm gonna say 'bout Ed Peletier," Daryl repeated, "and I ain't askin' ya to choose or nothin'. I'm just tellin' ya the answer to your question. I personally don't like him, but if you do, then I'm not gonna say anythin' else. I'll be civil to him outta respect for you…because…you're my friend."

Carol nodded and wrapped her arms around her thin frame, "Okay. Thank you."

Daryl forced a smile, but was saved from uttering anything else when Catherine came out of the dressing room.

"What did you think?" she squealed upon seeing them.

"It was great, Catherine," Carol said, giving her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Catherine didn't seem to notice and turned to Daryl, giving him a wide grin.

"Thanks for coming, Daryl!" she gushed, throwing her arms around him. Daryl stood there stiffly waiting for her to let go of him, which she did. Then she asked, "What did you think of the background props?"

"They looked da- They looked good," Daryl amended, cleaning up his language for the sixteen-year-old girl, "Ya done a good job on 'em. Looked better'n they did when I was carryin' 'em into your garage. Thought I was actually in a city for a moment there."

"I'm glad!" Catherine said brightly before turning back to her sister, "Where's Mom and Dad?"

"Over by the concession," Carol answered. Catherine was off in search of her parents, leaving Daryl and Carol alone once more.

"I guess we should follow," Carol said awkwardly. It made Daryl a little sad that their friendship had seemed to have regressed this way over his mouth.

"I guess," Daryl agreed. He followed her through the crowd to where her parents stood with Catherine. It was then that Daryl bade them both goodbye. He was more than ready to call it a night.

**TBC**

**AN: ****Ah, trouble in paradise. Whatever will they do? A special happy belated birthday to Ace! Hope you enjoyed this!**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 13**

Merle was in an alcohol-induced stupor that had been made worse by a couple pills. His vision swam in and out of focus, but that didn't matter too much to him as a pair of tits bounced in front of his eyes as the girl he had went home with rode his dick. She was as fucked up as he was and was trying just as hard to get off. She felt good, though, and Merle knew it wouldn't be long until he came.

He wasn't aware of much else, though every now and again, he heard moans and groans from across the room. He heard Ed's voice snap, "Take it, Bitch," and the muffled sounds of a woman.

Merle didn't think too hard on it as the girl fucked him harder. The sounds that she made told him that she was close.

Then she came around him, pulling him over the edge with her. She collapsed against Merle's body, allowing him to see over her shoulder. In the kitchen of the shitty apartment that he found himself in, he saw Ed propped against the kitchen counter as some girl sucked him off. Ed finished and then quickly shoved the girl away from him down onto the floor. She lay there for a moment as Merle's vision blurred over again. When it blurred back into focus, Ed was hauling the girl up by her red hair…it was dyed. Merle could tell. Ed shoved the red-head against the counter, forcing her head against the cheap countertop.

"Fuckin' whore!" Ed shouted out, "Fuckin' filthy skank!"

Suddenly, Merle wasn't in the cheap-ass apartment.

_Suddenly, he was ten-years-old sitting sprawled out on the kitchen floor, his eye already swelling from the hit he had received from the old man. He watched as his father slammed his mother up against the refrigerator, shouting bad words…words that would have got Merle's mouth washed out with soap if his mama ever caught him using them. Merle wanted to get up. He wanted to drag his pa away from his mama. He wanted to make her stop hurting…stop screaming. He didn't care that Pa would hit him again. Then he heard a sniffling sound come from his right. Little Daryl was there, just a two-year-old whelp clutching a light green baby blanket. His eyes were wide in fear and his pacifier threatened to fall from his quivering lips. Merle changed direction, going towards his brother instead of his mother and hating that he had to leave his mama to their Pa. He knew that if Daryl started crying, Pa would be even madder and both Merle and his mama would die before they let anything happen to that boy._

Merle snapped back to reality. He shoved the boneless girl off his body and stood, hiking up his pants. He crossed the apartment in four long strides. He grabbed Ed by the back of the shirt and hauled him off of the red-head.

"The fuck!" Ed protested, struggling in Merle's grasp. Merle pushed Ed roughly towards the front door, intent on getting the fucker out of that apartment. Once outside, Merle had Ed shoved up against the wall.

"Ya fuckin' do that shit again, I'll beat ya ass into the ground!" Merle snarled, "Fuckin' prick!" he snapped, shoving Ed towards the stairs. Ed's feet moved, but they didn't move well as he stumbled and staggered down and out of the apartment complex. Merle followed him, listening as Ed raved and ranted.

"She's a fuckin' whore! Fuckin' slut suckin' on anythin' and anyone! Just like that fuckin' bitch!"

"Shut the fuck up and let's get the fuck outta this shit!" Merle snarled back, moving towards Ed's car that was parked across the street.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"So when are you going?" Catherine asked, watching as her sister pinned her hair up again.

"One," Carol answered around the bobby pins in her mouth.

"And why are you putting your hair up again after you spent a half-hour taking it all down?" Catherine wondered, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"I had to take it down so Mom and Dad thought I was going to bed," Carol told her.

"Why can't you just leave it down?" Catherine questioned, "It doesn't make sense to do it all up again."

"Ed likes it up," Carol replied, sticking a bobby pin in to hold a strand of hair behind her ear.

Catherine frowned, "Seems like a lot of effort."

"When you have a boyfriend, you put in the effort," Carol said.

"You sound like Mom," Catherine remarked. Carol smiled at her sister in the reflection of the mirror.

"Then I guess she knows what she's talking about after all," she said, "Ed always says that I should look good for him. Says people will talk if he's seen out with someone who looks like they just rolled out of bed."

"But at one in the morning? You did just roll out of bed," Catherine asked, "Who's gonna even see you?"

"You never know," Carol shrugged, turning back to the mirror to get started on reapplying her make-up.

"I dunno," Catherine said, "It doesn't really seem fair, does it? You have to get all pretty for him and he doesn't have to do a thing."

"That's just the way it is, Cath. Mom's the same way. She always looks good for daddy and she always makes sure that we look good when we go out."

"Yeah. Heaven forbid we meet a good-looking gentleman and we have a hair out of place. What man could ever propose to such an unkempt looking woman?" Catherine snorted sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "Besides, why are you even listening to all of Mom's lectures now? You really didn't listen to them when you and Ed…you know…"

Carol paused in the application of her lipstick and turned to face Catherine, "That was different."

"How?"

Carol scrunched up her face in annoyance as she explained herself to her sister, "Ed and I will be married someday so there was no sense in waiting. That's an old-fashioned idea anyway. On the other hand, Mom knows how to keep a husband so she must know what she's talking about some of the time."

"You're really going to marry Ed?" Catherine questioned, "Even though Mom and Dad don't like him?"

"They don't know him," Carol corrected, "and yes, I am going to marry Ed."

"You don't have a ring," Catherine pointed out, nodding her head towards Carol's left hand.

Carol huffed, "Not yet, but we've talked about it. I wouldn't have given myself to him if I didn't want to marry him, Cath. I love him and he loves me."

"But he doesn't like the rest of us," Catherine said.

Carol frowned, "He likes you all."

"But he doesn't ever come around," Catherine observed, "Isn't a man supposed to meet your parents and court you or something before he asks daddy for your hand?"

"Ed says that's an old-fashioned idea," Carol dismissed, "It's nineteen-ninety-seven not eighteen-ninety-seven."

Catherine shrugged at this. Satisfied that her sister was done speaking, Carol turned back to the mirror. She felt tense and had felt tense ever since she had left the theatre. She spent so much time defending Ed to everyone and it had hurt a little that she had to do the same thing with Daryl. Even though she had only known him for a short time, she felt like he really understood her. She felt like she could always count on him to have her back and to find out that he hated Ed felt like a betrayal to her in a strange way. It felt like he had joined the ranks of everyone else that questioned her relationship with Ed. It didn't sit well with her. It made her feel on edge. She didn't like disagreeing with him and she didn't like the way they had left each other at the theatre, with awkward 'goodbyes' and nervous gestures.

It felt wrong.

And as a result, Carol had stewed on their interaction for a lot of the remainder of the night, and with each thought, she felt more tense and more of a need to justify to herself and everyone else that her relationship was right and good.

"You know," Catherine ventured softly, seeming a little unsure, "While you were getting ready for bed, I heard Mama and Daddy talking."

"And?" Carol asked.

"And they said that you ought to be with someone like Daryl."

The lipstick tube fell from Carol's fingers and clattered against the vanity surface, "What?" she choked out, whirling around to face her sister.

"They said that he was a nice young man," Catherine continued, "Mama said that he was polite and considerate. Daddy liked that he was a hard worker and that he had plans for his life. They said he was honorable. A good man."

Carol gnawed on her lower lip, effectively smearing her lipstick with her nervous habit.

Did her parents really want to see her with Daryl?

Daryl was her friend and he was Ed's roommate. It would be wildly inappropriate for Carol to pursue anything with Daryl even if she and Ed were ever to break up.

And yet…

_You've compared the two men_, a voice in Carol's head reminded her, _You've thought about it. You've seen how different Daryl and Ed are and you find yourself wondering what it would be like if Ed was a bit more like Daryl._

Carol shook her head. There was no doubt that Daryl was a good man, but it was wrong of her to try to change Ed to be more like Daryl.

_You wouldn't have to change Ed if you just dated Daryl_, the voice pointed out, _Imagine his calloused hand in yours. Imagine his strong arms pulling you tight to his hard, lean body. Imagine his lips on yours, soft, able, and tender._

Carol swallowed hard at the images her mind conjured. This was wrong.

_Or very, very right_, the voice continued, _Think about how easy it is with Daryl. Think about how you're able to talk with him and how he listens to you. Think of how he's always there when you need him. He's a gentleman. More of a gentleman than Ed. How many times have you seen Ed cause a scene?_

"Daryl's my friend," Carol said aloud, both to Catherine and to that traitorous voice in her head, "That's all. Now, I'm going to go. See you later."

She moved to the window, anxious to leave her sister's company.

She was with Ed. That wasn't going to change.

That couldn't change now.

Just before she slipped outside, she heard her sister mutter, "If he's just your friend, I'll take him. He's much better looking than Ed."

**_0-TSR-0_**

Though Daryl was exhausted, sleep wouldn't come.

He kept replaying that conversation with Carol at the theatre and even though they were still friends and all, it bothered him that she was so completely invested in Ed Peletier…to the point where she couldn't see what an asshole he was.

He was trying to understand it, for her sake, so that when he saw her again, then maybe he'd have a hope in hell of trying to fix this awkwardness between them.

Given what Kevin had told Daryl about Carol, he deduced that Ed was Carol's first boyfriend. She was inexperienced when it came to relationships and apparently thought that what she had with Ed was normal simply because she had never had anything to compare it with. Ed was taking advantage of that fact…and the fact that Rose Taylor had raised Carol to settle down with a husband. In one of their talks, Carol had told Daryl that her mother was always pushing her to find a husband.

In addition, Daryl had overheard one of Merle and Ed's conversations. Apparently, Ed was Carol's first. He had taken her virginity by slipping her some alcohol, a truly low thing to do. She had been drunk and susceptible to Ed's suggestions. Daryl figured that that had been it for her. Her family was religious and he'd bet that sex before marriage was a big no-no for Carol. The only way to justify the sin was to eventually marry Ed and to do that, she had to convince herself that he was worth marrying.

It was a shitty situation, in Daryl's opinion. It seemed so unfair that she had never had a choice…that she was continuing on with this relationship based on an obligation to a god that frowned upon premarital sex and that she had never had anything better than a two-pump chump with an anger problem.

What Daryl wouldn't give to make her see that her boyfriend was a piece of shit and that she deserved so much better than him. What Daryl wouldn't give for a chance to show her what a man is supposed to be like. Not just in the bedroom, but in ever day life. A real man is supposed to worship his woman. He's supposed to hold her hand. He's supposed to love her no matter what happens. He's supposed to be by her side through thick and thin and he's supposed to support her in everything she does.

That was what Daryl had always strived to be.

His granddaddy was that sort of man. His granddad loved his grandmother until the day he died and Daryl cherished the memories of his childhood when he would get to spend his summers with his grandparents and he would get to see what a real, loving relationship looked like…not the train wreck that his parents' relationship was. One memory stood out for Daryl and the more he thought about Carol and Ed, the more that memory came to the forefront of his mind.

_Daryl was nine-years-old. His mother had been dead for three weeks._

_Grandpa Norman had drove two hours to come and collect Daryl for the summer holidays. He had been anxious to remove the boy from his father's care…or lack thereof…after reading Merle's latest letter. The seventeen-year-old was being carted off to another detention facility and had written asking Norman to take care of Daryl for the summer until Merle was released in the second week of September. That way, Daryl wouldn't have to be alone with their father, something that both Merle and Norman felt was best for the boy._

_It was the first night at his grandparents. Though little Daryl was tired, he was also thirsty. He was creeping through the kitchen for a glass of water when he heard his grandparents speaking in the living room._

_"I still can't get over how much he looks like her," his grandmother was saying, "Ruby was just like him when she was Daryl's age."_

_"He's a fine boy," Norman said, "She raised him well, Grace."_

_"Well enough, I hope," Grace replied, "He's such a sweet boy, Norman. It scares me to think that someday, he could become his father."_

_"Not Daryl," Norman told her firmly, "He's got good future ahead of him. He's gonna be a good man someday, I know it."_

_"We thought the same thing about Ruby," Grace said, sounding mournful, "We were so certain that she was goin' to make somethin' of herself and then she met that damn Dixon boy and now…now we've buried our baby girl, Norman."_

_Daryl listened to his grandma cry and moved closer to the wall. He watched as his granddad got up from his chair. He knelt down in front of Grace and took her withered hands in his gnarled ones._

_"Gracie, Darlin', we ain't gonna lose Daryl like we did Ruby. Things was different then. We didn't know enough to protect her," Norman said softly and soothingly, "There was nothin' we coulda done."_

_"We could have stopped her!" Grace protested tearfully, "We could've taken her in when she was carryin' Merle and she'd've never married that vile man!"_

_"And then we wouldn't have Daryl," Norman gently reminded her. Grace sobbed harder, her thin frame shaking as her head of silver hair bobbed up and down. Daryl watched as Norman reached up to brush away her tears._

_"He took her from us, Norm! He sucked her in…made her all these promises and then he knocked her up and forced her to marry him! He trapped her! He hurt her!" Grace cried, "Will Dixon wasn't what I wanted for her! He wasn't what she deserved! Never! She deserved a husband like you. She deserved a man who treated her like she was the greatest treasure he'd ever received."_

_"I know she did, Darlin', and I'd imagine she had that," Norman said softly, "She had two boys who loved her more'n anythin'. Merle told me that he knew his daddy didn't deserve her. Told me that she shoulda had better'n him. And Daryl…why that lil' boy is everythin' good…everythin' that our Ruby was and one day, he's gonna be the type of man that his mama can be proud of. He's gonna be the man that his daddy shoulda been. I promise ya that, Sweetheart. I promise ya."_

Daryl always remembered that night. He always remembered how his grandmother had mourned her daughter's passing and how his grandfather did his best to hold her and console her. He realized that his grandparents had had something special, something his parents had never had.

Daryl's father had been a real son-of-a-bitch and now, Daryl realized that he had done exactly what Ed was doing to Carol. Ed was making her promises that he couldn't deliver on. He was filling her head with all of these thoughts and manipulating her the way Will Dixon had manipulated Ruby Hayes. The thought left a bad taste in Daryl's mouth and filled him with fear for Carol. It terrified him that she could end up like his mother, broken and beaten down until she drank and smoked herself to death.

But Ed was not Will Dixon. Just because Ed was an asshole didn't mean that he would ever hurt Carol.

But it didn't mean that he wouldn't, either.

And for the first time, Daryl found himself seriously entertaining thoughts of stealing another man's woman. For the first time, he found himself wanting to break his own rule and to hell with his code. Daryl Dixon wasn't much, but he was a much better man than Ed Peletier. He was a much better man than his father was. He could be the sort of man that Carol needed…that she deserved.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

Odd.

Who could be calling at 2:19?

By 2:23, Daryl was racing out the door to drive to the Senoia General Hospital.

**_0-TSR-0_**

One AM came and went.

Then two AM passed by.

Three AM was gone as well.

Still, Ed never showed and Carol was left waiting in the darkened park where Ed had told her to meet him.

"He stood me up," she murmured into the night that was slowly becoming day again.

With tears in her eyes, she made the walk back to her house. She was about to make her way out back to climb up the lattice to Catherine's bedroom when the front lights came on and the front door opened.

She froze.

George and Rose Taylor stepped out onto the porch.

Then Carol's father spoke, looking down at his daughter with a disapproving expression on his face, "Welcome home, young lady. We need to talk."

**TBC**

**AN: ****Yep...I'm mean. Double cliffhanger.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 14**

Daryl spent hours in the waiting room of the hospital in Senoia, which was a little over an hour from Cranwall. All he had heard was that Merle and Ed had been involved in a car accident. He was told that Merle was in surgery, but getting information about Ed was difficult seeing as how Daryl was neither family nor friend. Really, Daryl could care less about Ed. All he could think about was his big brother. He didn't know how bad off Merle was and as usual, Daryl's mind was leaping between the worst possible scenarios. He imagined defibrillators and oxygen masks. He imagined a doctor glancing up at the clock after being unable to save his patient.

Daryl felt sick with worry. He couldn't lose his brother. Not now. Not ever.

And then Ed was walking out into the waiting room, escorted by two police officers. He had a few bruises and a bandage on his head, but other than that, he looked unhurt. Daryl felt irritated by that fact. If anyone deserved to be on death's doorstep, it was Ed. Still, this was Daryl's best chance to get information. He got to his feet to intercept the procession, abandoning the shitty coffee he had been given when he first arrived in the waiting area.

"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked, "That there's my roommate."

One of the officers, an old-timer whose badge read 'Walsh', stepped up to Daryl as Ed was led away by the other cop, his head bowed and his mouth shut for a change.

Officer Walsh seemed to be sizing Daryl up, but Daryl stood firm. He knew that when it came to cops, the best thing he could do was to hold his ground, but also to show respect. He had seen Merle be arrogant with one too many cops and it had never worked out well for him. Finally, Walsh asked, "What's your name, Sir?"

"Daryl. Daryl Dixon," Daryl answered, "Why are ya arrestin' my roommate?" he asked.

"Edward Peletier is being charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol," Walsh answered, "Are you close with Mr. Peletier?"

"Not really. He lives with me and my brother. I got called down here 'cause they been in an accident," Daryl explained, "I don't rightly care what happens with Ed, but I don't know anythin' 'bout my brother."

Walsh's face seemed to change at Daryl's worried tone. His face softened and he nodded, "I understand that, Son. So your brother was in the car with Ed? A Merle Dixon?"

"That's right," Daryl confirmed, "Ya know anythin' 'bout him?"

Walsh chuckled and rubbed his hand over his greying beard, "I know he's got a mouth on him. He was swearing up a blue streak when we rolled up…not that I blame him."

Daryl's body sagged in relief upon hearing that Merle was at least acting like his usual self, "So he was okay?"

"Mostly," Walsh confirmed, "See, Mr. Peletier was driving when he lost control of the vehicle and rolled it. They probably sat there for close to two hours before a passerby came across them. Peletier was up and movin' around, but your brother had his arm pinned under the car. He was conscious, but in a lot of pain. Emergency responders were able to get him out and he was conscious when he went into the ambulance."

That was a relief to Daryl and he asked, "So he ain't gonna die?"

"No, I'd reckon that he's going to be fine. He was more concerned with putting his foot up Peletier's ass and flirting with the female paramedic than anything else," Walsh assured Daryl, "Reminded me of my youngest boy. You'll be able to find out more about his condition from his doctor after surgery. I'll give you my card in case you need anything. We're going to book Mr. Peletier and what happens next is up to him."

"Sounds good. Thank ya," Daryl said, offering his hand to the officer. Walsh shook it before handing Daryl his business card. Daryl tucked Officer Dan Walsh's card in his pocket and then sat back down. He felt a bit better knowing that Merle didn't really have any life-threatening injuries. He was still concerned for his brother, but at least some of the tension had left Daryl's body. He could even try for some sleep now. The clock on the wall told him that it was coming onto five in the morning and Daryl had had maybe two…three hours of sleep since he had arrived home from work the day before. He might as well try for a little shut eye.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol had been sat down on the loveseat in the living room. Her parents stood in front of her, their arms crossed over their chests as they looked down on her. She was in trouble and she knew it. This was going to be unpleasant for everyone involved.

"Explain yourself, Carol Ann," her father demanded in a tone that said nonsense would not be tolerated.

"I…I couldn't sleep. I was going for a walk-"

"Carol Ann Taylor, don't you lie to us!" Rose snapped quickly, pointing her finger at Carol, "You were meeting that boy weren't you!"

"I didn't meet him!" Carol protested. Technically, it was the truth. Ed hadn't showed.

"Then who were you meeting?" Rose demanded.

"No one," Carol answered.

"I find that hard to believe," George interjected before his wife could respond, "Your hair is done up and you are wearing make-up. This was no walk."

Carol felt frustrated. She shook her head and asked, "What does it matter anyways?"

"What does it matter?" Rose repeated, "Do you realize how worried we were? I woke up to check on you girls and you weren't in your bed!"

"Check on me?" Carol asked, "Mother, I'm almost nineteen-years-old! I'm not a child!"

"Then stop acting childish," George told her, a frown on his normally passive face.

"How am I acting childish?" Carol demanded, her voice rising in pitch as she got more worked up.

"Let me list the ways!" Rose snapped, using her fingers to point out the ways that Carol was acting unruly, "One, you're dressed like a floozy."

"It's a tank-top and jeans," Carol muttered.

"Two, you're back-talking your father and I," Rose continued, "Three, you're sneaking out at all hours to sin with that Peletier boy!"

"So what?" Carol exploded, "Ed is my boyfriend and we're going to be married! Is it wrong that I want to be with him? Is it wrong that I want a normal life and not this…this nineteen-fifties life that you think is so great? I don't need a curfew! I don't need to be in by ten-thirty and I don't need you to tell me that I'm wrong for wanting to go to school and having a career! I don't need to wear dresses down to my ankles all the time and I sure don't need to be lectured about what an awful daughter I am when there are girls out there ten times worse than I am!"

She felt angry tears prick at her eyes and she fled the room, not willing to let her parents see her cry. She ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door shut behind her. She flung herself on the bed and let the tears fall. She had been holding back since she realized that Ed had stood her up. Carol was so sick of this. She was so sick of feeling trapped and let down.

She sobbed into her pillow as she listened to her parents argue downstairs.

"This has got to stop, George!" her mother cried out. Even though she was down in the living room, Carol could hear it plain as day, "She is going to ruin this family and end up pregnant!"

"What do you want me to do about it, Rose?" George demanded wearily, "We can't watch her every moment of the day."

"So we just let this continue?" Rose seethed, "We just let her sneak out at all hours and disrespect us? This is all that boy's doing! That disrespectful, irresponsible boy has been leading her down the path to sin for far too long now and it has to end before she winds up barefoot and pregnant!"

"It does," George agreed, "but we can't-"

"We're her parents!" Rose protested, "We know what's best for her and it is NOT Edward Peletier! You know his reputation! You know that he is no good!"

Carol was pained that her mother thought so little of her and Ed. It hurt so much. She sobbed harder against her pillow.

She didn't hear the door open, but she started a bit when she felt another body on the bed and a pair of arms wrap around her. She looked up and saw her sister's warm green eyes staring at her in concern.

After that, it didn't take much for Carol to curl into her younger sister and to cry against Catherine's shoulder.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl was quite rudely ripped from his nap in the Senoia hospital waiting room by someone giving a hard time to the nurse manning the reception desk.

"I was told that my son was here! You get on that fancy little machine of yours and you find me my boy! That's Peletier. P-E-L-E-T-I-E-R. Edward P. Peletier. My god, are you stupid!"

Daryl's annoyance with the newcomer was replaced by curiosity. So this was the man who had raised the buffoon that was Ed Peletier. He was a heavyset man with a build similar to that of his son's. He had dark hair and a goatee, both looked to have been dyed. He wore square glasses over his eyes. He looked to be a severe sort of man, particularly as he barked orders at the receptionist. The poor girl looked at a loss as this bullish man made his demands.

"Excuse me," Daryl stepped in, getting to his feet to help the poor girl out, "You Ed's ol' man?"

Mr. Peletier turned to fix Daryl with a disdainful look and demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

"Daryl Dixon," Daryl introduced himself, "I'm one of Ed's roommates."

Ed's father's face morphed into an ugly glare and the man barked, "You the rat bastard that totalled my son's car?"

"Had nothing' to do with that shit!" Daryl protested, bristling at the accusation, "Just was called here on account of your son gettin' shit-faced and crashin' and landin' my brother in the hospital!"

Peletier's face turned a sort of purple and he shouted, "My son does not drink and drive, you arrogant, low-life, lying little-"

"Ain't what the cops think!" Daryl shot at the man, "They done took Ol' Ed down to bookin' at the station!"

That shut Peletier up…for the moment. Then he was cursing, "God fuckin' dammit!"

Without another glance in Daryl's direction, the man left the waiting area as swiftly as he had entered it.

"Asshole," Daryl muttered, turning to sit back down.

"You're telling me," the nurse at the reception desk agreed, exchanging a smile with Daryl.

He nodded back and then asked, "Ya hear anythin' 'out my brother? Merle Dixon?"

"I'll check on it for you," she said, getting to her feet and walking deeper into the hospital. Well, she was sure singing a different tune now that Daryl had helped her out. When he had first got there, she was towing the party line, telling him that when she heard something, she'd tell him.

Daryl paced a little in an effort to wake up. He'd been asleep for three-quarters of an hour. It wasn't a long sleep, but it was better than nothing.

"Mr. Dixon?" the nurse called to him. He turned and saw her leading a middle-aged man in a lab coat towards him. The man held out a hand.

"Dr. Gould," he introduced himself, "I'm your brother's doctor."

"Daryl," Daryl replied, "How's he doin'?"

"We're just taking him to recovery," Gould explained, "When the car rolled, his arm was crushed. We've inserted rods into the arm and have tried to repair as much of the damage as possible. We won't know the extent of the nerve damage until later on."

"Shit," Daryl muttered, "So other than that, he's okay?"

"That was the worst of it," the doctor admitted, "Aside from some bumps and bruises, he seems to be fine."

"And when can I take him home?" Daryl wondered.

"That depends on him," Gould said, "but I don't see why he couldn't be released later this afternoon. He's a lucky man."

"Thank you," Daryl said gratefully.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"Fucking idiot," Patrick Peletier growled, "Driving around drunk. The fuck is wrong with you, Boy?"

Ed glared down at the dash of his father's Mercedes. He was humiliated. He hated that his father had had to come and bail him out of jail. He didn't want to depend on the old man for anything anymore and yet here he was, relying on his father yet again.

"This can't keep happening, Edward," Patrick reprimanded, "This is the third vehicle you've wrote off in two years and the second time I've had to come bail you out of trouble. Do you know how much money I've had to put into keeping you out of jail?"

"I never asked you to," Ed ejected sullenly. Patrick glared over at him and for a moment, Ed was scared that his father was going to smack him. Then he remembered that the old man wouldn't dare take his hands off the wheel when he was driving his princess.

"Boy, do you know what it'd do to me if folks learnt that I was raisin' a dumbass that drinks and drives?" Patrick snarled, "People'd think I support that shit and no one wants to buy cars from someone who supports drinkin' and drivin'."

Ed rolled his eyes, but he said nothing.

"What you ought to do-"

"Here we go," Ed muttered, "Here's what you're good at."

"Don't sass me, Boy," Patrick scolded, "What you ought to do, Boy, is settle down. Quit putzing around that tool store and come make a decent wage down at the car lot-"

"I told you that I'm not working at that parking lot!" Ed protested.

"You can't make a decent wage sittin' on your ass behind a tool counter," Patrick snapped, "You ought to be lookin' to settle down. Marry that little thing you got, buy yourself a house, and have a kid or two. Be somethin' respectable for a goddamn change instead of a goddamn bum. Don't know how you're keepin' George Taylor's girl, but you better lock that shit in before she moves onto greener pastures."

Ed could feel his blood boiling. He was sick of this shit. His father was always telling him what to do and today, Ed didn't have the patience. He was hung-over, he had a concussion, and he totalled his car.

"Just fuck off already!" Ed snapped, "Sick of this goddamn shit!"

"You show a little fucking gratitude, Boy," Patrick scolded him, "I didn't have to come down here at six in the morning to bail your ass out. Your stepmother and I are sick of this shit, Edward. This stops-"

"Save the fuckin' lecture!" Ed protested, "I don't live under your damn roof no more so I don' need this shit!"

"Yeah," Patrick snorted, "I've seen the kind you've been livin' with, Boy. Redneck trash. You're aimin' mighty high, there, Son. Mighty high indeed."

Ed shook his head and glared out the window. He just wanted to go home, sleep, crack open a beer, and fuck his girlfriend.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"How 'bout a sponge bath there, Sugar?" Merle solicited the nurse that was delivering his food tray.

"Not the first time I've heard that one," the nurse muttered.

"First time ya ever heard it from Ol' Merle," Merle told her, flashing her a wide grin, "Ya give me a sponge bath, Darlin', and ya ain't liable to forget it," he said with a pointed look down at his groin.

"Enjoy your meal, Sir," the nurse ejected before leaving the room. Merle chuckled and reached for the apple on his tray with his left hand. His right was currently out of commission. It was bandaged and braced tightly to Merle's body to keep it immobile. When the vehicle rolled, Merle had been dozing with his arm hanging out the window. As a result, his arm ended up being a mangled, crushed mess. It had been excruciating pain and even now, with all of the drugs flowing in his veins, he still felt a dull throbbing under his skin where the doc had made the incision to put the rods in. It wasn't so bad. Feeling pain was good, he was told. It meant that his nerves were still working…at least in his arm. In his hand, though, it was a different story. He couldn't feel his fingers and he should have felt them considering that when they got the car up, three of his fingers had been bent at odd angles. No, the pain he had felt was mostly in his arm. That worried him a bit, but he tried not to think about it. He was young. He was tough. A broken arm and a few busted fingers wouldn't break him. He'd heal. It was fine.

Besides, it'd be good for sympathy sex.

Merle polished off the apple and then looked to the little jello cup. Well, fuck. Getting that little lid off would be a hell of a job.

But Merle Dixon wasn't one for sitting and struggling. He took his spoon and stabbed at the lid with the handle of it. It dipped into the red goo and Merle pulled it out. Then he picked up the jello cup, brought it to his mouth, and sucked out the cherry jello.

"See that crash ain't done shit for your table manners," a familiar voice said from the doorway. Merle set the half-empty cup back down on the tray and offered his brother a red smile.

"Mornin' Baby Brother," Merle greeted.

"Mornin'," Daryl said back, "Enjoyin' ya snack, I see."

Merle shrugged and took up the jello again, this time solely to annoy Daryl, "Ya might wanna try it sometime, Lil' Brother. Good practice."

Daryl frowned, "Practice for what?"

"For makin' women scream," Merle answered with a wicked grin. Daryl rolled his eyes.

"D'ya ever quit?"

"Nope," Merle replied, "It's what women love 'bout me, Brother. I don't quit once I start."

"How're ya feelin'?" Daryl asked, changing the topic.

"High," Merle said honestly, glancing over at his IV, "They tell ya when ya can spring me?"

"Your doc says afternoon sometime, after ya had some rest," Daryl answered.

"Good deal," Merle said approvingly, "What happened to Ol' Ed?"

"Got charged," Daryl informed him, "Cops took him down to the station and then his ol' man stopped by. Real asshole."

"Apple don't fall far from the tree," Merle said, setting the empty jello cup on the tray, "Lil' fucker."

Daryl smiled a bit and wondered, "That mean we can get rid of that asshat now?"

Merle chuckled. He had known that Daryl would be using the crash as an excuse to punt Peletier to the curb. Merle had thought long and hard about this conversation while his arm was stuck. It had distracted him from the pain for a bit.

"Would like to, but that ain't a good idea, Boy," Merle answered, "Still need his damn money…worse'n ever now that I'm gonna be laid up from work."

Daryl groaned, "Ya can't ever make my day, can ya, Brother?"

"Might be good to take on someone else too," Merle continued, "Every penny helps."

Daryl groaned even louder.

"And where the fuck are we gonna put a fourth person?"

"Dunno," Merle shrugged and then winced as the action jostled his arm, "Might have to bunk with you, Boy."

"Not in this lifetime," Daryl retorted sourly, "Ed the asshat is enough."

"Still…the bills gotta get paid somehow, Brother," Merle reminded him, leaning back into the hospital bed, "Unless ya willin' to donate fluids, I'd say that's our best option."

"I ain't livin' with another jackass," Daryl growled.

"Alright," Merle shrugged, more carefully this time, "We'll see if they got any of them little plastic cups for ya to fuck. Heard ya can get a pretty penny for…uh…makin' a deposit to them sperm banks."

Merle delighted in the grossed out look that crossed Daryl's face.

"You're disgusting, Merle!"

"Hey, at least you'd be fuckin' somethin', Lil' Brother," Merle joked, grinning at the annoyed look that crossed Daryl's face.

**TBC**

**AN: There! Do we feel a little better now? **

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

*****Trigger Warning: This chapter contains non-consensual sex**

**Chapter 15**

"I need your keys," Ed demanded the second that Daryl and Merle stepped into the house later that evening. Merle was a little unsteady on his feet on account of the drugs in his system and Daryl was helping him get his shoes off without falling over.

"'Scuse me?" Daryl asked, raising his eyebrows as his brother leaned on him for support.

"I need your keys," Ed repeated, holding his pudgy hand out.

"Fuck you," Daryl barked, "Wouldn't lend ya my truck if ya needed it to drive your sorry ass to the hospital…and if ya keep fuckin' talkin', ya gonna need a damn hospital yet."

"I need to go to Carol's," Ed said, "I called her place twice and both times I got hung up on."

"Maybe she's finally wisin' up to what an asshole she's datin'," Daryl growled, his eyes on Merle as his big brother stepped deeper into the house on shaky legs.

"You take that fuckin' shit back, Dixon!" Ed protested, stepping forward.

"Hey! Cool ya fuckin' jets, both of ya!" Merle spoke up, his voice slurring slightly, "Daryl, lend him the fuckin' truck."

"Fuck no!" Daryl objected, "He done crashed his car last night and got hauled off by the cops. Surer than shit, he ain't got no license no more!"

"Don't need no piece of paper telling me I can or can't drive," Ed growled defiantly.

"Just give him the damn keys," Merle groaned, "I'm fuckin' tired as shit and I ain't listenin' to ya bitches fight."

Daryl grudgingly complied, tossing his keys down at Ed's feet, "Don't know why I'm bein' forced to play fuckin' nice," Daryl griped, "He's the damn asshole who fucked up your arm."

Merle's good hand clamped down hard on Daryl's shoulder, "Let shit go. Was a damn accident."

"Yeah," Ed chimed in, bending over to pick up the keys, "Just a damn accident. Don't be such a whiny prick 'bout everythin', Daryl."

With that, he brushed by the Dixon brothers and slammed the door behind him.

"Fuckin' asswipe!" Daryl ejected before rounding on Merle, "The hell'd ya do that for?"

"Have a damn headache, Brother, and ya fixin' to piss off the asshole that pays part of our rent," Merle slurred, "Gonna be needin' the damn money."

Daryl frowned as he watched Merle toddle back to his room. For a moment, he felt bad because Merle really did look worse for wear. Though he had rested at the hospital, the drive home had taken a lot out of him. Every bump in the road had seen Merle biting back groans of pain as his injured arm was jostled. It had been a hell of an ordeal for him and the last thing he needed was Daryl and Ed at each other's throats. Still, it was pretty fucking low that Ed wasn't more concerned with the man that he had put in the hospital.

He truly was an asshole.

**_0-TSR-0_**

When Ed pulled up to the Taylor house, George was out front mowing the lawn. As Ed got out of the truck, Carol's father turned off his mower and dusted his hands off on his pants.

"Edward Peletier, I presume," George commented, a frown crossing his face. Ed sneered as he approached the thin little man. His father had often told him that old George was a big stick in the mud that often advised Patrick's clients against buying cars from his lot. Patrick said that the man was always going on about 'the honorable thing' and screwing the important people out of a buck just so he could help some idiot save money.

"I'm here to see Carol," Ed said, making his intentions plain.

"I figured as much," George replied, still frowning, "Although I really wish that you weren't."

"Oh?" Ed asked, feigning interest, "And why is that, George?"

"Oh, I think you know exactly why, Edward," George stated firmly, "You're not good for my daughter."

"Your daughter disagrees," Ed told him with a smirk. George did not smile.

"No, you seem to have her quite charmed," George agreed, "Promising her marriage, yet never once bothering to meet her parents, ask my blessing, or even give her a ring. Makes me wonder just what your intentions are for my daughter."

Ed chuckled, "I do intend to marry her," he told Carol's father, "I just don't intend to ask you for permission. Bit of an outdated notion, isn't it? To have to ask your girlfriend's father for permission to marry her? Goes against all this new feminist stuff, don't it, George?"

"And I'm sure that you are quite the feminist, Mr. Peletier," George snorted, shaking his head.

"I just think that Carol ought to make her own decisions," Ed shrugged.

George fixed him with a level gaze and added, "So long as they agree with whatever you want, correct?"

"Can't help it if we want the same thing, Sir," Ed said, adding a derisive emphasis on the word 'sir', "She's crazy 'bout me, after all."

George took another step towards Ed, coming right into his personal space, "That may be, but she is still MY daughter, Edward, and as her father, I exercise the right to demand respect from anyone she chooses to bring into my home."

Ed smirked at the pathetic attempts to intimidate him and replied in a placating tone, "Of course you do, George. And as Carol's boyfriend, I reserve the right to see her. Can you fetch her for me?"

Ed noted with some satisfaction as George's jaw twitched in annoyance. The older man didn't budge. He simply looked Ed square in the eye, "I don't think I will, Edward," George said, "You see, I know all about you. I know all about the accident that took you out of football last year. I know you were drunk at the time. I know all about the bar fights and the drinking. That's not something I want my daughter around."

"Your daughter is nineteen," Ed reminded him, his face contorted into a scowl as George finally won the upper-hand in the conversation, "She doesn't answer to you no more."

With that, Ed stepped around George and strolled up to the house, not bothering to knock as he opened the screen door, "Carol? Carol, are you here?"

He didn't anticipate Rose Taylor flying into the entry way from the kitchen, an apron over her chest hiding a pair of tits that looked to be about a handful.

"YOU!" the woman screeched, coming up on him and waving a spatula in his face, "How DARE you enter this house? How DARE you?"

Ed ignored her and called out for Carol again, "Carol, it's me! Get down here!"

"She is not going anywhere with you!" Rose roared, poking Ed in the chest with the spatula, "You're no good for her! No good at all-"

She was cut off by Carol bounding down the stairs, wide-eyed at the scene, "Ed? What are you doing here?"

"I gotta talk to you," Ed said, "Let's go."

"Carol Ann, you are not going anywhere with that boy!" Rose protested. Carol looked between her mother and Ed, thinking real hard about who to listen to.

"Carol, let's go," Ed demanded. Finally, Carol nodded.

"Okay," she said, coming the rest of the way down the stairs. Ed gripped her arm and led her out of the house, ignoring the ramblings of Mrs. Taylor and the protests of Mr. Taylor as he led his girlfriend to the truck.

"Why do you have Daryl's truck?" Carol asked as she got in.

"Crashed my fuckin' car," Ed admitted sourly as he put the truck into gear. This thing was truly a piece of shit.

"What?" Carol yelped loudly. She looked sheepish as he glared over at her.

"Rolled it last night when I was comin' back to you from Atlanta," Ed said sourly.

"Oh my God!" Carol said worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Ed grumbled, "Fuckin' cops are makin' it like it's my fault. Rolled it when I swerved to miss a damn deer and just 'cause I had a couple drinks, they're chargin' me with drivin' drunk. Horse shit. Pure horse shit!"

"Was Merle with you?" Carol asked. Ed frowned. He had never said that he was going up to Atlanta with Merle.

"How'd ya know he was with me?"

"I…I talked to Daryl last night," Carol said with a shrug. Ed narrowed his eyes at her.

"Where'd ya see him at?" he demanded.

"He was at my sister's play last night," Carol explained before bringing the conversation back around, "Was Merle okay?"

"He busted up his arm," Ed said dismissively, "So ya saw Daryl last night, huh? Had a nice chat?"

"Yeah. It was a good play," Carol said, "You would have liked it. We can go again tonight. It's showing again."

"Nah, let's go for a damn drink," Ed growled, turning off towards the bar, "Had a long ass day."

He gripped the wheel tightly. The thought of that piece of shit redneck alone with Carol annoyed the hell out of him. There was something about Daryl that just rubbed Ed the wrong way. Ed wasn't stupid. He saw the way that redneck looked at his woman. He noticed the lingering glances and the soft stares. He didn't like it at all. Carol was his. That sorry little bastard had no right sniffing around her skirts.

"I've had a long one myself," Carol was saying, "My parents don't exactly approve of us. I got caught sneaking in."

Ed snorted, "Of course they don't approve. They're so damn absorbed in their Beaver Cleaver lifestyle that they hate on anythin' that don't go their way."

"It just hurts that they can't be happy for us and that they won't even give you a chance," Carol said, her eyes down on her lap.

"They're jealous is all," Ed told her, "They don't got what we have. They ain't free like us."

"I don't feel free," Carol admitted, "They treat me like a child…like they want to keep me there forever."

"Then move out," Ed said, "It's what I did."

"Where would I go?" Carol wondered, biting her lip in worry.

"Live with me," Ed suggested.

"You?" Carol asked.

"Sure. Be great not havin' to answer to nobody or worry 'bout no stupid curfew. We'll save up. Buy a house. Car. Pay for the weddin'."

"Are you sure Daryl and Merle would be okay with that?" Carol wondered.

"You leave them to me, Darlin'," Ed assured her, pulling into the parking space in front of the local bar, "Let's go in."

**_0-TSR-0_**

"Daryl! Get ya ass in here, Boy!" Merle called out, awkwardly placing the phone back in its cradle. Daryl came stumbling out of his bedroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he went.

"Whatcha want, Merle?" Daryl demanded, his voice dull and gravelly.

"Got a job for ya, Boy," Merle said, getting to his feet. Daryl narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"I got a job," he said dumbly. Merle shook his head. For being such a smarty-pants, his brother could be quite thick.

"Meant for tonight, Genius," Merle said, "Was just on the phone with Dirk-"

"Merle!" Daryl groaned at the name, knowing that Dirk Malick was Merle's dealer.

"Oh, hush up!" Merle scolded him, "I picked up some shit for him in the city last night. Managed to hide it in that inner pocket of my jacket last night. He wants it and he's gonna pay me top dollar for it. Need ya to take it to him and-"

"Dammit, Merle, I told ya that I ain't gettin' involved in the drugs and shit!" Daryl protested.

"I'd go myself, but I can barely take my own ass to the pisser without gettin' out of sorts from the shit the doc gave me," Merle said, "Just need ya to do the exchange. It's worth it. Money'll pay off them damn hospital bills easy."

"Merle-"

"We need that cash, Daryl," Merle said firmly, "If ya ain't gonna go, I'll drag my ass over to his place and do it myself."

Merle knew it was a low blow. He knew that Daryl would do it if it meant keeping Merle home tonight and he wasn't disappointed.

"Fine. Dammit, where is this shit? Is fuckface back with my truck yet?" he demanded sourly.

"Not yet," Merle shrugged, "Ya could walk it. Ain't far."

"It's on the other side of town," Daryl deadpanned, "He need this shit right away?"

"Said it's for some party tonight, so yeah," Merle said.

Daryl groaned, "Fine. Let me go fuckin' shower."

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol had felt a little uncomfortable sitting across the table, sipping at the fruity drink that Ed had insisted that she have, and watching as he slammed back whiskey shots.

"Ed, I don't know if this is a good idea," she said unsurely. Ed leaned back in the booth and stared at her for a moment.

"You questionin' me?" he demanded.

"You got in an accident last night. It might be good to slow down-"

"Slow down, huh? Seems 'bout your speed alright," Ed mumbled, growling a little as he reached for his wallet. He threw two twenties down on the table and stood up, "Let's go."

He grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her up and out of the booth. She struggled to keep up with him as he dragged her outside into the dark night. Daryl's truck was parked just outside and Ed was making a beeline for it.

"Ed, I don't think you should drive-"

Carol was cut off by his lips roughly taking hers as he shoved her back against the truck. His hands groped at her body. She pressed her hands to his chest and tried to shove him away. He wouldn't budge.

"Ed, stop. I don't think this is a good idea-"

"Whose are you?" he asked, his words slurring slightly.

"Ed-"

"Whose are you?" he repeated, pressing his body against hers. She could feel his hard length against her thigh. His eyes bored into hers, hard and dangerous, waiting for her response. She knew what he wanted to hear.

"Y-yours," she stammered. That was all he needed to hear. His lips were on her again, demanding her to yield to him. She was aware of Ed fumbling with the door handle on the truck. He wrenched it open, turned her around, and bent her over the seat. One hand was on her head, holding her down, and the other was up her skirt, pulling her panties down her thighs. Then she heard the noise of his zipper and felt the wet tip of his erection against the swell of her backside.

"You're mine, Carol Ann," he growled in her ear, "Never forget that."

Then he guided himself to her entrance and took her from behind. She cried out sharply at the pain of the intrusion. He continued to thrust inside her, pushing her deeper into the seat.

She could smell Daryl.

That was what she focused on as Ed continued on.

Daryl. His scent. It was all around her…surrounding her. It was the faint smell of leather combined with something almost woodsy…fresh. Then there was the smell of Daryl himself, a faint sort of musk that almost reassured her.

Almost.

She focused on him. On Daryl. On the way his sun-bleached dark hair hung into his bright grey-green eyes as he smiled his little half-smile at her. On the way his muscles moved under those sleeveless shirts that he was so fond of when he changed her tire. She focused on the way his hand felt whenever it was in hers, hard with callouses, but surprisingly gentle. Everything was a contradiction about him. He seemed so strong, but at the same time tender. Sweet. Good.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Then it was over as Ed grunted and pushed hard inside her. He collapsed over her, spent and sweating through his clothes. He lay there for a moment before stumbling backwards, tripping over his pants and falling to the concrete on his ass.

"Fuck!" he swore, running his hand over his face. Carol stood up shakily and righted her clothes. She closed her eyes as she stood there, one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on the frame of the truck as she tried to sort this out.

Ed was drunk. That much was obvious.

Still, he had hurt her. She still felt the sting.

She heard him shuffle about behind her and she turned around a little too quickly, her eyes wide as she regarded her boyfriend. He had righted his clothes as well and was standing behind her, holding the edge of the door to steady himself. Ed reached out to touch her face and she went absolutely still.

"I love you, Carol Ann," he slurred, stumbling forward, "Love you so fuckin' much."

He almost crushed her in a hug. She struggled to support his dead weight.

"Ed, you're drunk. I'm going to take you home," she said, blinking back tears. He grunted his approval and moved away from her, stumbling to the other side to get in. Carol stiffened her lower lip and got into the driver's seat, adjusting everything to suit her. She pulled out of the lot just as Ed started snoring in the passenger seat.

It was a short drive back to the house and idly, she wondered how Ed was going to get inside and how she was going to get home…that is, if her mother even let her in the front door.

As she pulled up to the curb, she saw the front door open and Daryl emerge from inside, shrugging on a leather jacket. She felt relieved upon seeing him and got out of the truck, "Daryl-"

"'Bout fuckin' time," Daryl growled as Ed spilled out of the passenger side. Ed staggered.

"You…you shut the fuck up!" Ed slurred, making Carol cringe.

"Unbelievable," Daryl muttered.

"He's…he's drunk," Carol offered in a hasty explanation.

"Can see that," Daryl huffed before turning to Ed, "Getcha ass inside!"

"Ya don't tell me what to fuckin' do, ya little pansy-ass-"

Daryl took a step towards him, his eyes blazing in anger, "Ya don't get a fuckin' say in this house no more! Ya should be kissin' my fuckin' feet for lettin' ya stay here after what ya did to my brother! Get in the fuckin' house and be fuckin' grateful that I ain't kickin' your ass!" he snarled. Ed stared at him defiantly before shrugging his shoulders.

"Fuck it," Ed gripped, staggering for the front porch without a second glance at Carol. She looked to Daryl.

"Sorry-"

"Don't apologize for him," Daryl told her, his tone clipped. Then he seemed to pause and look at her, his expression softening as he realized that he had snapped at her, "Sorry. I gotta run an errand for Merle. I'll take ya home."

Carol nodded her head, "Okay."

She got into the passenger side this time while Daryl adjusted the driver's seat to sit him once more. She flushed a little and hoped that he couldn't tell what had just happened in that very seat. They rode in silence for a bit before Carol asked, "Is Merle okay?"

Daryl's jaw seemed to jump at the question, "Fucked up his hand and arm. He had to have surgery on it. Doc don't know if he'll have nerve damage or not."

"Oh God," Carol whispered, "Ed didn't tell me that part."

Daryl laughed bitterly, "Yeah, sounds 'bout right. He didn't give two shit's 'bout what he done to Merle no way and Merle…fuck…who knew he'd be the more forgivin' one out of the two of us? We should be makin' Ed pay off the medical bills," Daryl said, "But Merle figures he can cover it. Fuck."

"You're really mad," Carol observed.

"'Course I'm mad," Daryl snorted, turning into a cul-de-sac, "Ain't right. None of it. So how was your date?" he asked, changing the topic. Carol shook her head.

"Awful," she admitted truthfully, "He just…got drunk and…"

"And he's such a peach when he's been drinkin'," Daryl finished for her, glancing over at her. Carol tried to quickly blink back tears, but he noticed anyway and he asked, in a much softer voice, "Ya okay? He didn't hurt ya, did he?"

Carol looked over at him and it was like his eyes could see into her soul. It was a little unnerving and Carol had to look away.

"He was a bit rough, but I'm okay," Carol lied, shrugging her shoulders.

"That ain't what I asked," he said quietly.

"He didn't hurt me," Carol lied again, "Where are we going?" she asked when he made an unfamiliar turn.

"Merle's errand. Guy owes him money," Daryl said, "We're gonna need it now with Merle not workin'. That okay or do ya want me to drop ya off first?"

Carol thought about it. She really was dreading going home.

"I'll come," she said, smiling a little at him. He smiled back, but neither of their smiles reached their eyes.

**TBC**

**AN: Oh boy. Nervous about this chapter. It definitely wasn't my favorite one to write.**

**Edit: I know that some people may not be pleased with my portrayal of Carol, but the idea is for her to grow and become a stronger, smarter woman through her struggles with Ed. Yes, she is young and naïve now, but given time, she will have her eyes opened and she will be a stronger and more experienced person. If you are frustrated with this process, by all means, find a new story.**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	16. Chapter 16

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 16**

Daryl wasn't too impressed when he pulled up to Dirk Malick's place. It was overrun with people drinking and carrying on. Every light in the house seemed to be on and music was blaring. How the neighbours were able to stand it, Daryl didn't know.

"Looks like a party," Carol observed unsurely as Daryl found a place to park.

"Won't be here long," Daryl promised her, "Ya wanna stay here or come in?"

Secretly, he was hoping that she would stay in the truck. She looked like she had been through the ringer and the last thing he wanted was to add to her stress. It was bad enough that he wanted to kick her boyfriend's ass to kingdom come. Despite what she said, Daryl knew that she was holding back. Something had happened on that date, something that she didn't like. He tried to keep his mind from conjuring up scenarios. They only served to make his blood pound in his veins.

"I'll come in," Carol volunteered. Daryl nodded and resolved to keep a close eye on her as they waded through the crowd. There were way too many people here and all Daryl wanted to do was find Dirk, get Merle's money, and leave before any cops got called to shut the thing down. He had to ask a few people where Dirk was. Most of them didn't even know whose house they were partying in. It was a bit pathetic, really. Finally, Daryl was directed upstairs.

"I'm gonna go up and get this sorted," Daryl told Carol, wanting to keep her away from the exchange, "Am I gonna find ya here?"

"Yeah," Carol confirmed, nodding her head over the loud music. She moved to sit down on the steps and offered him a small smile. He nodded back to her and then he took off up the rest of the steps. He found Dirk easy enough. He was sitting on a couch in an open area playing a video game. Dirk Malick was a skinny fucker with greasy brown hair and beady little eyes. He worked the road crew with Merle, but he had a hell of a side business dealing anything he could get his hands on.

"Dirk," Daryl greeted, moving into the man's line of sight and making him lose his little game. Dirk wasn't too upset by it.

"Lil' Dixon! Come sit down! Have a beer…take a load off!" Dirk invited, his smile showing off crooked yellow teeth.

"Can't," Daryl said, shaking his head. He had a policy about keeping his interactions with Dirk as brief as possible, "Gotta get goin'," he reached into his pocket and produced the baggie of pills that Merle had picked up for Dirk in Atlanta, "Here's your shit."

"Perfect!" Dirk crowed, shifting on the couch to get his wallet from his back pocket. Daryl watched Dirk thumb it open and withdraw several hundred dollar bills. He count at least fifteen hundred dollars being passed his way and there was still more to spare in the wallet. Daryl wouldn't be caught dead holding that much money. That was just inviting trouble.

"There!" Dirk said, passing Daryl the money in exchange for the baggie, "Fifteen, just like me and Merle agreed on."

Daryl didn't know exactly what sum was agreed upon by Merle and Dirk and he didn't really care. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Swell," Daryl said with a roll of the eyes, "See ya around."

Daryl stuffed the money into the inside pocket of his jacket and turned to leave. When he got to the stairs, however, Carol was nowhere to be seen.

Daryl had a moment of panic, but tamped it down. She probably had to go to the bathroom or something. He'd wait at the steps for her to come back and if she wasn't back in five minutes, he'd search every nook and cranny of this house for her. He scanned the room while he waited, looking for her auburn curls amongst the crowd of bodies writhing to the music. Some were standing at the walls talking. Couples were making out in corners. It was pandemonium. Finally, he saw her come into the main living area from the kitchen and he felt relief. She was okay.

Her expression had him moving towards her in an instant. There was fear there on her face as her eyes searched for him.

"Carol!" Daryl called over the music as he shoved his way through the people. Carol's head snapped in his direction and for a moment, she looked relieved.

"Daryl, help! It's Catherine!" she cried over the noise before rushing back into the kitchen. Catherine? Her sister? What the hell was that kid doing at a place like this? Daryl moved faster and spilled out into the kitchen where there was a bit more space. He saw Carol struggling to support her sister, who looked out of it. Her blond hair hung into her face, falling out of the knot she had placed it in. Her eyes were glazed over and her make-up was smeared. Her dress, a pink little number that Daryl was sure her mother would never approve of, had ridden up, exposing too much of her leg. A guy was with them and he had a hand on Catherine's arm, trying to pull her away from Carol.

"I got her. I'll get her home safe," the guy was saying.

"She's my sister. I've got her," Carol snapped back, her voice taking on a protective tone as her eyes flashed at the guy.

"I'll get her home," the guy argued, "She's safe with me. Don't spoil the fun-"

"Hey!" Daryl barked, coming up to them, "We're takin' her home. Back off!"

Daryl was much larger than the scrawny little guy and his size worked to intimidate the young man. He backed away with his hands raised in surrender. Satisfied that he was gone, Daryl turned to Carol, "How is she?"

"Pretty bad," Carol admitted, worriedly looking over her sister, "We need to get her out of here."

"I…don't…Carol…Daryl…" Catherine slurred, somewhat aware of her surroundings.

"I've got her," Daryl said, moving to scoop the girl into his arms, "Lead the way."

Catherine was a small girl and was practically weightless in Daryl's arms as he followed Carol back through the living room. When they saw him carrying the semi-conscious girl, most people scurried out of the way. Maybe they weren't total asses after all. Or maybe they just didn't want to get puked on.

When they finally made it to the truck, Carol helped Daryl get Catherine situated and Daryl reached under the seat for a plastic bag from his last smoke run. He shoved it onto Catherine's lap, "For if she pukes," Daryl explained. Carol nodded and Catherine moaned weakly.

"She told my parents that her friend was having a small party for the cast of the play," Carol said as Daryl pulled out of his parking space.

"Think she mighta lied," Daryl deadpanned, looking out the corner of his eye at Catherine, who had her head thrown back over the middle seat.

"Mom's going to kill her," Carol sighed, "Do you think maybe the two of us could stay at your place? At least until Catherine sobers up?"

"Yeah," Daryl nodded his head, "'Course. I can give ya'll my room and I'll take the couch."

He could see Carol's frown in the moonlight, "Daryl, I don't want to put you out-"

"Ain't nothin'," Daryl assured her, taking a turn to head back to his place.

**_0-TSR-0_**

The house was silent as Carol used Daryl's key to let herself and Daryl inside. Ed and Merle were clearly asleep, which probably made matters easier. Daryl was carrying Catherine again as Carol opened doors for him. He took her directly to his room and set her gently on the bed.

It occurred to Carol that she had never been in Daryl's room before. She hadn't even glimpsed it. He always kept the door shut whenever she was over. She wasn't surprised to find that it was fairly neat. Aside from his bed, he had a dresser for his clothes, a nightstand, a mirror, and a bookshelf. Carol caught titles of mystery novels and then what looked to be some biology books. There was a hunting magazine on his nightstand along with a lamp and a half-drank water bottle.

Carol watched from the doorway as Catherine twitched a little, mumbled incoherently, and then rolled onto her side. Daryl covered her up with the blanket and reached for a waste basket to set beside the bed.

"For the puke?" Carol guessed.

"Somethin' like that," Daryl shrugged with a little half grin, "Ya can probably take better care of her than I can. There's clothes in the dresser. She might be more comfortable wearin' somethin' other than that dress. I'll go grab her some aspirin and water."

Then he left Carol to tend to her sister, shutting the door gently behind him. Carol set to work finding Catherine something to wear. She felt a little guilty about raiding Daryl's wardrobe, but he was sweet enough to offer. She selected a pair of sweat pants and a baggy t-shit for Catherine and then in an afterthought, she selected the same ensemble for herself. Then she began the process of caring for her drunk sister, pulling and tugging at her like she was a big doll to be dressed.

"Carol?" Catherine mumbled when her sister sat her up.

"I'm here, Cath," Carol assured her. Catherine bobbed her head in response, holding herself upright so that Carol could dress her.

"Where are we?" Catherine wondered, her eyes glazed as she looked around the room.

"Daryl's house," Carol answered, "We're gonna stay here until morning, Okay?"

"Okay," Catherine responded, nodding her head and flopping back on the bed when Carol gave the okay, "I like Daryl."

"I know you do," Carol chuckled as she smoothed back her sister's hair.

"You like Daryl?" Catherine asked.

"I do," Carol told her softly. There was a knock on the door and Carol called out for Daryl to come back in. He was carrying water, aspirin, and a sleeve of crackers.

"Drinkin' kit for beginners," Daryl joked, setting the items on the nightstand, "Best thing for her is to drink up and get some food in there to absorb some of the booze. She'll be cryin' for the aspirin in the mornin'."

"I bet," Carol agreed. Together, Daryl and Carol managed to get a few crackers into Catherine along with half of a bottle of water before they let her pass out. Carol followed Daryl out to the moonlit living room, where she thanked him again.

"Told ya that it ain't nothin'," Daryl repeated, sitting down on the edge of the couch, "It ain't like I've never looked after a drunk person before."

"I still can't believe she's hammered like this," Carol said, shaking her head as she sat down in the armchair, "When I was her age, I was terrified of drinking."

"Yeah?" Daryl asked, raising an eyebrow in the faint light offered by moonlight streaming in and the faint lights in the kitchen, "Most kids are chompin' at the bit to drown in a liquor bottle when they're sixteen."

"My mama always said that alcohol wasn't fit for a lady. She said that it led to sin," Carol explained, "Back then, I was terrified of doing wrong."

"And now ya ain't?" Daryl wondered.

"It's different now," Carol said, "Ever since I've gone off to school, I feel…different from who I was before…if that makes any sense."

Daryl shrugged, "Suppose it does. Big part of it is leavin' home…becomin' ya own person."

He sounded so sure that Carol had to ask, "Is that what you felt when you left home."

Daryl chuckled, "When I was a kid, I was a scrawny little thing that was scared of his own shadow. I kept to myself a lot. I mean, I still do keep to myself, but I ain't near as bad as I was back then. Feel like I know more 'bout how the world works."

"And how does the world work?" Carol asked, leaning forward to listen to his answer.

"Still learnin'," Daryl admitted, leaning back into the couch, "The world is a complicated thing. Never usually works the way ya expect it to."

"Wow," Carol said, impressed by the insight, "You're getting deep."

"I'm more'n just a pretty face," Daryl joked, quirking his little half-smile at her. He really was a handsome man, especially when he smiled, but that wasn't all he had to offer. He was so smart and hardworking. He was a genuinely good person, going out of his way to help others out. He was so much more.

"Yes, you are," Carol agreed with a smile. He flushed a little and shrugged his shoulders.

"So how d'ya think the work works?" Daryl wondered, turning the question back around on her. Carol let out a humourless laugh. She had thought that her world was pretty simple. She had thought that she would get a job, get married, have children, and live happily ever after. Now…now she wasn't so sure. She couldn't remember any of the princes from her fairy tales acting the way Ed had acted earlier tonight. She couldn't remember her father ever treating her mother like that. It had been so very wrong. What happened between her and Ed in Daryl's truck hadn't been an act of love. It had hurt and love…well, love wasn't supposed to hurt.

"I dunno," she answered truthfully, "I think you might be onto something, though. Things don't always go how you expect them to."

"What ain't goin' how ya'd expect it?" Daryl wondered, cocking his head a little.

"I had a fight with my parents," Carol admitted, "It was about Ed. I guess I always kind of expected that when I found someone, my parents would approve of him. Mama…she was always going on about how important it was to find a man, marry him, and settle down with a family. I thought…maybe she'd be happy, but she's not," Carol explained, choosing to focus on something other than Ed. She already knew that Daryl didn't care for Ed and she had a feeling that if she told him about what happened in his truck, there would be a fight between the two men and the last thing she wanted to do was cause any more trouble.

"Maybe she just expected ya to find a better man is all," Daryl said with a shrug. For a moment, Carol wanted to jump in and say that Ed was a good man. Then she realized that she couldn't. Not after what he did. A good man…a good man was like Daryl. He was willing to do whatever he could to help someone in need and he kept his word. He was always gentle, polite. He was someone who would never hurt her.

"Maybe," Carol murmured. She could feel Daryl's gaze upon her and she squirmed a little under his gaze. He was silent for a moment and Carol found herself waiting with trepidation for whatever it was that he was about to say. It was moments like these that she didn't know what he was thinking. He moved in the dark so that he was closer to her, sitting on the edge of the couch so that his knees touched hers. She could see his face, a contrast of silvers and grey in the dim light. He was deadly serious as he stared at her.

"Do you love him, Carol?" he asked.

She didn't know what to say. She knew that she should say 'yes', but something inside of her was holding back. A part of her that she had been ignoring for a long time was telling her to admit the truth.

"I think I got my answer," Daryl said quietly when she didn't reply. Carol let out another weak sound.

"What is love? How do you know if you do or you don't love someone?" she asked, trying to find a way to defend her silence. She cursed how her voice wavered with emotion.

"I don't know," Daryl admitted, "but I reckon that if ya have to ask it, then ya ain't in it."

"We're going to get married," Carol offered weakly, giving into the side that was obligated to remain with the man who had taken her virginity and had promised to marry her…the side that was obligated to love him.

"Somethin' tells me that ain't whatcha really want," Daryl observed, "So tell me, what d'ya want, Carol? Is he it? Can ya really spend the rest of your life with him?"

Carol hesitated again as she faltered over her answered, "I…I have to-"

"Ya don't have to do nothin'," Daryl said, getting to his feet so that he was standing over her. He offered her a hand up and she took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet so that she was standing right in front of him. He shook his head and said, "Worst thing 'bout this is ya don't even know that ya got a choice. Ya only ever been with Ed and he ain't fit to kiss the ground ya walk on."

"Daryl-"

"Hear me out," Daryl requested, reaching up to cup the side of her cheek. His touch foreign, yet familiar, a little rough due to callouses, but still light and gentle, "I don't know what happened tonight, but I do know that whatever it was has ya thinkin' twice 'bout things and that…that's makin' me hope for the first time and…and if ya makin' a decision…I want…I want ya to know..."

"What?" Carol asked, her mouth suddenly dry under his intense stare.

Instead of answering her with words, Daryl closed the distance between them, pressing his mouth to hers. For a second, Carol was stunned by the turn of events. Daryl was kissing her and it felt…good. Her lips tingled at the initial contact and she felt an odd sensation in her belly, almost like a sliver of excitement and anticipation. As his mouth moved, hers began to follow suit on instinct, moving with his as he kissed her. It felt good. The sensations within her grew and she felt lightheaded and dizzy. Her hands came up to rest on his chest where she could feel his heart racing under his shirt. Hers was as well, pounding against her ribcage for the second time that night…only this time, it wasn't in fear. He pulled back ever so slightly, preventing the kiss from becoming too deep as his thumb lightly caressed her cheek.

It took him a moment to speak, but when he did, he said, "And now ya know."

Carol didn't know what to say. She hadn't realized that he had had those types of feelings for her and it terrified her and excited her at the same time. When she said nothing, he let out a nervous breath.

"I know that you're with Ed, and even though he don't deserve ya, I ain't the kind to try to steal another man's girlfriend away," Daryl explained, "That ain't me so…so I'm gonna leave it there. If ya wanna stay with him, fine, I'll step back…but…but if ya don't…at least ya know that ya got more options than just him."

Carol could only nod numbly, her mind reeling with what had just happened.

"Have a good night, Carol," he said to her, gently directing her back towards the bedroom.

Carol walked there on shaky legs, her mind spinning as she stepped into Daryl's room and changed into the clothes she had set aside. Then sat down beside her sister on the bed. Her hand came up to touch her lips, where the memory of Daryl's mouth still lingered. She was still stunned by the fact that he had kissed her and that she had kissed him back, despite being in a relationship with his roommate. She even wanted more. She had been disappointed when the kiss ended. She had never thought that she would cross the line. And the fact that she did…and that she wanted more…well…that scared her a little bit.

She remembered her mother's lectures about girls who jumped from man to man. Her mother had maintained that those sort of girls were floozies. She also remembered Ed's fears that she would cheat on him…that she would be just like his mother who had stepped out on his father.

And now, here she was. A floozy and a cheater.

She felt ashamed. She should have stepped away when she felt Daryl's lips on hers. She shouldn't have responded. She shouldn't have kissed him back and she shouldn't have fisted her hands in his shirt. That was wrong. It was so wrong.

And yet it felt right somehow.

Carol's mind drifted back to the beginning of the night, to Ed's hard kisses and the rough experience in Daryl's truck. She lay down on her back. Ed had never been all that gentle in their lovemaking, but he had never been that rough before. He had never forced her into it before. It had been uncomfortable and it had hurt and it felt really, really wrong. More wrong than kissing Daryl felt. She remembered who she had been thinking about as Ed thrust inside of her. It was thoughts of Daryl and his scent that made her forget what was happening. And then, later in the night, it was Daryl that offered to take her home and it was Daryl that helped her care for her sister. It was Daryl that offered her and Catherine sanctuary in his room while he chose to sleep on the couch.

He was such an amazing man, all gentle and sweet. She felt more devotion, more passion from his kiss that she had ever felt from Ed's. She had felt so much in those short moments where his mouth was on hers and it made her wonder why. Why did she feel so much for a man she barely knew?

She felt so very confused. Did she have feelings for Daryl? Where did that leave her and Ed? What did she do now?

There were so many questions. She felt like her mind would not turn off.

Then she leaned back against the pillow and immediately recognized Daryl's scent on it. She breathed in that same calming smell she had breathed in earlier in the night and she found herself slipping into a comfortable sleep.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl's legs gave out as soon as Carol disappeared into his room. He sank back down into the couch and stared ahead at the wall, his mind racing.

He had actually kissed her. He had given in and kissed her.

He didn't know what had come over him, but the moment she said 'maybe' when he said that she ought to get a better man, he knew for the first time that he had a chance. He had no idea what had happened between Ed and Carol, but whatever it was had Carol questioning her choices. It was the perfect moment to show her that she wasn't just restricted to Ed Peletier. She had options.

In his gut, Daryl felt a sliver of fear that he had crossed the line and she might never look at him the same. She was still with Ed, after all, and she might still choose that asshole over Daryl, but at least she would make the choice knowing what her options were. He just worried that she would regret it and that it would serve to widen the chasm between them.

And he also felt at odds with himself. He wasn't the kind that took what wasn't his, especially when it came to women. The last thing he wanted in the relationship was some pissed off guy coming at him. He also didn't want to be the other guy. He didn't want to be the one that women used to get back at their boyfriends. He wouldn't be used and he wouldn't use a woman that way. That was why he resolved that the kiss would be a onetime thing until Carol decided what she wanted. It was just one kiss and if she wanted more, he would give it to her, but on his terms. He wasn't going to share her with Ed Peletier. If she wanted Daryl, then he wanted all of her, to hell with Ed. If she didn't want Daryl, then at least he would always have the memory of what it was like to kiss her.

And goddamn, he couldn't get over how it felt. After a month of imagining what it would be like to kiss her, he had finally done it and it was seared into his mind. Her lips were soft, just like he imagined that they would be, and her skin was smooth under his calloused fingers. Her body was so warm and he couldn't stop remembering how her hands felt on his chest. It had taken everything in him to break the kiss. He didn't want to push her too far, but at the same time, he wanted her with every cell in his body.

He tried not to imagine what could have happened had he not been the gentleman. Would he have slid his tongue against her lips, seeking permission into her mouth? Would she have granted it to him? Would he have tasted her? Felt her tongue play with his? Would he have pulled her flush against his body so that her breasts were pressed to his chest? So that she could feel just how much he wanted her? Would she have ran her hands through his hair, tugging slightly as he explored her mouth and as his hands greedily roamed her body?

"Fuck," Daryl whispered to the night, closing his eyes as images assaulted his brain. Images of him carrying Carol to the living room as she clung to him with her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his body. He imagined laying her down on the couch and removing her clothes. He imagined leaning over her and putting his mouth to her nipple and sucking. He imagined reaching down to find her wet and wanting as he touched her. Then he would guide his hard, pulsing cock into her and he would pause and wait for her to adjust to him. Then he would move at her urging, thrusting in and out of her as she moved in time with him. He would feel her muscles contract around him, pulling his own orgasm from him as she came around him.

Yeah, that definitely would have been too much.

Just a kiss was better.

Just a kiss goodnight.

**TBC**

**AN: The support on here is amazing. Your kind and encouraging reviews just made my day and it means so much to me that I have so much support. Thanks you all so much! The kiss in this chapter was a little token of my appreciation for VickiH and EnglishPoet18. Hope I did it justice!**

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	17. Chapter 17

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 17**

When Merle woke up the next morning, he was in pain. His entire body was sore, but his arm was throbbing. He needed a pain pill. He hauled himself out of bed, staggering a little as he tried to find his balance with his right arm strapped to his chest. He made his way to the bathroom, finding his pills in the medicine cabinet where Daryl had put them the night before.

Merle stared at the little white cap on the orange bottle. Child proof. There was no fucking way that he was going to get that lid off with an injured wing. Carrying his little bottle down the hall, he pushed his brother's door opened, intent on waking him and making him open the bottle…only when he did open the door, Merle found the very last thing he expected.

There were two women in his little brother's bed.

He stood in the doorway, blinking in surprise. It was rare enough for Daryl to have one woman in his bed, but to have two? That must mean that the pigs were flying around outside. Then, as Merle's eyes adjusted, he realized that Daryl was not in the room and that one of the women just so happened to be Carol Ann Taylor. What the hell was she doing in his brother's bed? Her boyfriend's room was the next one down. She get confused or something during the night?

Closing the door, he walked out into the living room. A quick glance at the couch told Merle that Daryl had opted to sleep out in the living room. Merle figured that the girls needed a place to stay and Daryl, ever the gentleman, offered up his room.

Honestly, sometimes the boy was too damn nice.

Merle reached down and shook his brother's shoulder, causing Daryl to jerk violently from sleep.

"The hell?" Daryl asked groggily.

"Could ask ya the same thing," Merle commented, "but first, ya need to open this shit," he directed, holding the pill bottle out to his brother. Daryl sat up and took the bottle from Merle to open it and palm out a little white pill. He capped the bottle and then handed Merle his pill.

"They say ya should take it with water," Daryl muttered, "Ya take the antibiotics?"

Merle shot him a look, "What do you think?"

"Point taken," Daryl groaned, getting to his feet, "Ya need to take that shit with food anyways. I'll whip us up some grub."

Merle nodded and followed his brother into the kitchen, "Your guests gonna be joinin' us?"

Daryl froze a little as he reached for the frying pan, but then tried to play it off like nothing happened. He shrugged and answered, "Reckon so. Ran into Carol's sister at Dirk's. She was messed up so we brought her here."

"And ya offered up ya bed to 'em? Ever the gentleman, huh, Boy?" Merle observed, sitting down at the table.

"Somethin' like that," Daryl said, moving to the fridge to find the bacon.

"And Mouse chose to bunk in your room instead of with her man," Merle added.

"Don't reckon she's too pleased with that asshole," Daryl said, "He got drunk off his ass last night when he took her out. I had to drive her home, but then I stopped off at Dirk's and we found Catherine."

"Knight in shiny fuckin' armor," Merle muttered. Merle was no idiot. He recognized that despite his warnings, Daryl was still making moon-eyes over that girl. Merle saw no point in it. She was engaged to Ed and seemed pretty dead-set on marrying him. If Daryl kept this shit up, he'd end up hurting and that was the last thing Merle wanted for his brother. He shook his head and said, "Brother, she ain't yours. Ya ain't the knight she wants."

"She ain't got no knight," Daryl commented, "She got the town drunk."

"Even so, she's marryin' that drunk, Daryl," Merle reminded him. Merle watched as Daryl bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something. It took him a moment or two, but he did eventually speak, if just to change the subject.

"Your money's in my jacket," he told Merle.

"Two grand, right?" Merle asked, perking up a little.

"Dirk gave me fifteen hundred," Daryl responded. Merle leapt to his feet.

"What? We agreed on two thousand!"

"Didn't know that," Daryl told him over the hiss of the bacon cooking on the stove.

"Fuck! Lil' prick!" Merle swore, "Dammit, didn't ya think fifteen was a little fuckin' low?"

Daryl turned away from the stove then and levelled Merle with a hard stare, "Beats the ever-livin' fuck outta me," he snarled, "I ain't no drug dealer. All I wanted was to get in, give him the shit, and get the fuck out."

"Ain't dealin' shit," Merle argued, "The deal was that I'd pick up the shit for fifteen and then Dirk'd give me two grand for my time."

"Yeah, well maybe ya should keep better company than Dirk Malick," Daryl griped, "At least ya fuckin' broke out even. Be fuckin' happy 'bout that."

"Pfft," Merle snorted, "I was told I was makin' a profit. Was told that it'd make up for them days we didn't work on account of the rain."

"It ain't that big of a deal," Daryl dismissed, turning back to the bacon, "Again, ya broke out even. That's a good damn deal when it's that fuckin' druggie we're talkin' 'bout."

Merle scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. He had had plans for that five-hundred dollars, plans that were now messed up by Dirk's cheap ass and a couple grand worth of hospital bills. That money was supposed to go towards Daryl's school fund.

"Next time, I'm gonna bust his ass," Merle growled, "Get our money."

"Ain't no 'our', Merle," Daryl snapped, "I ain't doin' this shit again. I ain't gettin' my ass thrown in jail."

Merle wanted very badly to argue that it was worth it if it meant that they'd get out of this shithole. He wanted to tell his brother that they needed that money now that he wasn't going to be working until his hand healed. Without it, it would take that much longer for Daryl to get to his schooling. On the other hand, though, Daryl had a point. If Daryl was in the slammer, then he wouldn't be able to have that better life that Merle wanted for him. Besides that, if Daryl knew that the account Merle had set up was being funded by drug money, he probably wouldn't accept it. Somewhere along the line, the boy had found a set of principles. Merle suspected that was Grandpa Norm's doing.

"Fine," Merle sighed, giving up on the subject. After all, there were other ways to get money, "So ya think any more on the whole extra roommate deal?"

Daryl just groaned in response.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol awoke to a warm body nestled against her own. She opened her eyes only to see the crown of her sister's blond head. She shifted slightly so that she wasn't getting a mouthful of hair and elicited a groan from Catherine.

"I hurt," Catherine moaned, burying her head into Carol's shoulder.

"I'm not surprised," Carol commented, "You had quite a night."

"Mary Ellen's cousin was going to a party, so we tagged along," Catherine explained without moving her head to look Carol in the face, "It was only a couple of drinks."

"What happened to Mary Ellen?" Carol asked, frowning as she thought about Catherine's friend.

"I don't know," Catherine admitted, "One minute she was with me and then the next, she wasn't. Where did you come from?"

"Daryl was giving me a ride home and he had to stop at the party to pick up some money for Merle," Carol explained, "He was the one who carried you out."

This got Catherine to lift her head and she looked absolutely awful. Her make-up was smeared and her hair was a mess. She groaned, "He saw me like this?"

"Oh yeah," Carol chuckled a little, shaking her head. Catherine moaned.

"Now I get why mom and you are so concerned with how you look," she said, "He probably though I was a mess."

"He thought you were a sixteen-year-old who was…uh…chomping at the bit to drown herself in a liquor bottle," Carol told her, remembering the conversation she and Daryl had the night before.

"Well, there goes any chance of being Mrs. Daryl Dixon," Catherine griped, rolling over onto her back.

"You didn't have much of a shot anyways," Carol teased, "You're too young."

_And he apparently had his eyes on a different prize_, her mind added, making Carol flush a little. Last night felt like a dream. She couldn't believe that Daryl had kissed her and that he apparently had feelings for her. He was the sort of man who could have any woman he wanted. Why her? Why now? Everything felt so complicated and knowing that Daryl had feelings for her made things even more complicated. She didn't know what to do. She was with Ed…the man who she loved and the man who promised to marry her. He had taken her virginity and therefore, it would be wrong not to follow through and take her vows. And yet…what had happened the previous night had scared and hurt her. She was sure that that was not the way a husband ought to act with a wife.

"Hey," Catherine nudged her, "What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Nothing," Carol lied.

"Carol," Catherine scolded, glaring over at her older sister.

Carol sighed. Catherine had always been her main confidante, but could Carol really tell her what happened last night? No. Catherine, though older than her years in a lot of ways, was still just sixteen…an innocent.

"Just thinking about how much trouble we're going to be in with Mom," Carol lied again, eliciting another groan from her sister.

"Is there any way we can lie?" Catherine said hopefully. Carol shrugged. It seemed that was going to be the theme of the day.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Ed felt like his head was going to pound out of his skull. He couldn't remember much about the night before, but he knew that he had drank too much and that Carol had seen him like that. He cursed his stupidity. After that whole fiasco with him hitting that dumb redneck, Ed had been trying to be careful not to drink around Carol. It had been clear from the get-go that Carol was too damn uptight about drinking and shit. Ed had thought that he had broke her of that line of thinking, but she had clearly gotten that attitude again after Ed gave that Dixon asshole a black eye. It pissed him off to no end that Daryl Damn Dixon was undermining all of the progress Ed had made with Carol in the last year. Since she'd been 'friends' with Dixon, she was talking more and more about going back to school in September, something that was a giant pain in Ed's ass. He didn't want to drive four hours to see his damn girlfriend and he didn't want her in the city alone without him to watch over her. Who knows what she'd get up to without him?

And speaking of that, Ed's mind drifted back to the moment yesterday in that piece of shit truck when she had told him about running into Daryl at Catherine's play. That ate away at him. There was something she was holding back about that 'run-in'. It was bad enough that she was spending time alone with the redneck, but the fact that she was keeping things from him was enough to get Ed's blood pressure rising. The fact that he didn't know what had happened at that theatre pissed him off. He wasn't going to be played a fool. He wasn't going to be like his father. The old man was too blind to see that his wife was fucking everybody in the fucking town until he walked in on the bitch doing another man. That wasn't going to happen to Ed. Ed wouldn't let his woman do to him what his useless mother did to his father.

Ed sat up and rubbed his hand over his stubble. He'd pop an aspirin, take a shower, and then figure out what to do about this whole Carol situation. He figured that there would be a lot of pussy bullshit coming out of his mouth for a while.

He opened the door and stepped out into the hallway only to find that the bathroom was currently occupied. He cursed the damn Dixons under his breath and waited impatiently for the door to open.

Ed was caught off guard by who came out of the bathroom. It was a young blond girl with wide green eyes wearing an old t-shirt and sweats. She looked like hell, with messy hair and bleary eyes. She looked like Ed felt.

"Oh," she said when she nearly ran into him, "Uh, sorry, Ed."

Ed frowned for a moment. How did this girl know his name? She must have sensed his uncertainty.

"I'm Catherine," she introduced herself, "Carol's sister. I don't think we've met."

"Right," Ed said, still frowning. What the hell was Carol's sister doing here? Then he looked closer at the clothes she was wearing. They were Daryl's. He recognized the sleep pants and the green and black t-shirt. Why would Carol's sister be here, at the house, dressed in Daryl Dixon's clothes? Unless…

Well, that made sense now. Dixon was just trying to get close to Carol so he could bone her kid sister. Apparently Dixon liked 'em young, the sick bastard. Maybe Ed didn't have to worry so much after all.

The sound of a door opening had both Ed and Catherine turning towards the sound. Daryl's door was open, but instead of the redneck, Carol stood in the doorway. Ed's jaw dropped as he stared at his girlfriend. Her hair was messy from sleep and she looked at little surprised to see him there. The worst of it was that, like her sister, she was wearing Dixon's clothes. Sweatpants and a stupid Meat Loaf t-shirt.

"Morning, Ed," Carol greeted in a small voice, holding her hand out for her sister, "Let's get something to eat, Catherine."

Catherine bounded after Carol and they walked towards the kitchen and Ed stood there for a moment, completely gobsmacked. What the fuck was his girlfriend doing in Dixon's room and why the hell was she wearing Dixon's clothes?

Ed felt his blood pound in his veins. She was fucking him. Her and her sister had been lured into some sick and twisted game by that piece of shit redneck. Ed was ready to kill the bastard. He stormed in the same direction as Carol and Catherine, rounding the corner that led into the kitchen.

"Catherine had a rough night," Carol was explaining to Merle, "She was at a party and got drunk and I didn't want to take her home like that, so Daryl let us stay in his room and he slept on the couch."

Ed registered this and stopped cold before he let his anger unleash. He glanced at the couch and noted the pillow and blanket still on it.

"Mighty nice of the boy," Merle said as he chomped on the bacon that Daryl was pushing onto his plate, "Thought ya woulda bunked with ya boyfriend."

For the first time that morning, Ed mustered a small smile. For being a redneck, Merle wasn't stupid. He knew the score.

Carol was quiet for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and explaining, "I wanted to stay with Catherine. I didn't want her to wake up alone in a strange place."

"I have the best big sister," Catherine said, looking at Carol appreciatively before sitting down across from Merle, "I'm Catherine."

"Merle Dixon," Merle said between mouthfuls, "Bacon?" he offered, looking to his brother, who, to Ed's chagrin, was looking at Carol. His dirty redneck eyes were locked on her, looking at her like he wanted to throw her against the cupboards. Dixon could care less about the little sister, who was looking up at him. Merle cleared his throat loudly.

"Here," Daryl said, moving to shove some of the bacon in the pan onto another plate. Catherine looked down at it and grimaced.

"No offense, Daryl, but that makes me want to throw up," she said. She did look pretty green around the gills.

"Alcohol does that to ya," Daryl told her, moving back to the stove, "What d'ya want? Ain't much here, so don't be too damn picky."

Catherine thought about it and looked over at her sister, "Carol makes the best pancakes."

"I could whip some up," Carol said, smoothing back an unruly curl on Catherine's head before she moved closer to the stove, taking over the cooking. Ed watched as Daryl stopped what he was doing, simply watching her as she moved beside him. Ed's lip curled in anger. Just like he had expected, the fucker was trying to move in on his girl and she…she was actually smiling at the asshole. Ed wanted nothing more than to charge in there and give that damn Dixon a good ol' knuckle-sandwich, but he restrained himself. Carol would surely object to precious little Daryl getting what he deserves. She was caught under his dumb-hick-aspiring-to-be-more shtick that he was pulling to steal her away. She was falling for it. It was unacceptable. Ridiculous.

"So what d'ya do that makes them pancakes the best?" Daryl asked from where he was leaning against the counter.

"Nothing special," Carol said, shrugging her shoulders as she searched for a mixing bowl, which that son-of-a-bitch provided her with. Ed noticed Carol blush a little as their hands touched. Ed stepped out of the arch that led to the kitchen so that he was out of sight as he threw a silent temper tantrum, screaming with no noise and mock-hitting the wall.

This was bullshit. Pure and utter bullshit! The thought of that asshole and Carol together made Ed want to scream. Carol was Ed's, plain and simple. He was not going to lose her and he was not going to let that son-of-a-bitch take her from him. It was bad enough that Ed had to watch that piece of shit stare at her, but the worst of it was that Ed didn't know what happened when Daryl and Carol were alone together. And he didn't know how often they were alone together.

There was the theatre.

And the time she had delivered pie to the house when Ed hadn't been there.

And who knows how many other times that Ed did not know about. Things couldn't continue on the way they had been. Ed couldn't remain ignorant about what his woman was doing or who she was hanging around with. He had to know what she was up to. She would not cheat on him with that useless redneck snake.

No, Carol needed to be around Ed at all times so he could keep her in line.

She needed to move in with him.

It would be risky with that dumb fuck in the next room, but this way, Ed could regulate when and how often they saw each other. Right now, he knew nothing. Hell, she could be fucking that prick for all Ed knew.

Ed shook off the thought. She wasn't fucking the trash. She knew better.

But Carol really needed to move in with him. He needed to know where she was. He needed to know who she was with.

He needed to marry her.

And he had just the thing to make her his.

**TBC**

**AN: Well, Old Ed isn't as oblivious as he looks. **

**Please let me know what you think so far! Thank you for all of the wonderful and kind support!**


	18. Chapter 18

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 18**

The entire atmosphere of the kitchen changed when Ed walked into it. Carol already felt out of sorts from being so close to Daryl after their kiss the previous night, but when Ed walked into the room, she felt tense. She remembered what Ed had done and she didn't know how to act. She had never been in that situation before and she didn't know what to expect from him or herself.

But Ed strolled into the kitchen like he owned it. He looked worse for wear on account of his bleary eyes and messy hair. He came right up to her and raised his hand to her cheek, caressing her skin. His hand felt too smooth. Wrong somehow.

"Good morning, Beautiful," he said before he leaned into to kiss her. She froze up when she felt his lips on hers, but before she could register what was happening, he pulled away and then reached over to pull her tight to his body, "Whatcha makin', Sweetheart?"

"P-pancakes," Carol stammered, "For Catherine."

"So generous," Ed commented, planting a lingering kiss to the side of her head. Carol's eyes sought out Daryl. His jaw was tightly clenched and he had a white-knuckle grip on the handle of the frying pan he was holding. Other than that and the dangerous flash that crossed his eyes, there was no indication that he objected to Ed's actions. Ed was saying, "You know, Baby, I'm really lookin' forward to you movin' in here and cookin' like this every day."

The entire kitchen froze. Merle was holding a piece of bacon half-way up to his mouth. Catherine's eyes were wide. Daryl paused in his cooking and stared right at her, like he was trying to pull her thoughts from her mind and into his.

"Ed, I don't know-" Carol started.

"Now, Darlin', we talked about this last night," Ed reminded her, "You don't have no freedom at your parents place and it's inevitable that we're gonna live together at some point. Why wait?"

"Uh…uh…" Carol was at a loss of what to say. What could she say? She was in the middle of the kitchen with three sets of eyes on her and Ed. How could she object when everyone present, excluding Daryl, thought that she wanted to marry Ed one day?

"Ain't got no room," Daryl ejected and Carol felt relief, "Only got three rooms."

"Well, I'm pretty sure she can fit in her boyfriend's room," Merle pointed out, recovering from his shock over Ed's announcement, "Might easier splittin' rent four ways instead of three. Only be two-hundred each then."

"Are you serious?" Ed objected, scowling, "You're gonna make my girl pay rent? We're together! We're savin' up. Gotta pay for a weddin' and a house. Be easier on us if we left shit the same."

"Ain't no two-for-one deal. Daryl and I both pay the damn lion's share of rent," Merle reminded Ed, "We're payin' almost five-hundred fifty dollars. Can't be doin' that no more. I'm outta work for a long while 'cause of this," he said, gesturing to his injured arm with his good one, "Can't be affordin' that shit no more. 'Sides, another person means more water, gas, and electricity is used. Ain't cheap. Money we save on rent can go to other shit."

Ed huffed a sigh, "Fine. Dammit."

Carol could feel Ed's annoyance with Merle's terms in the way that his arm tightened around her. He had evidently been hoping that they could stay here for cheap. Her mind flashed back to the previous night and she shuddered, stepping out of his embrace and saying, "I need to go to the bathroom."

She moved down the hall in a rush and shut the door. It felt like there was something heavy sitting on her chest, like the entire weight of the world was bearing down on her and she couldn't escape. She didn't want to move in with Ed. She didn't want to share a room with him. Not after what had happened last night. What if Ed got drunk again? What if he hurt her again? That wasn't the way a man was supposed to treat a woman. Her daddy never hurt her mama. It made Carol not want to marry Ed.

That thought in itself was frightening.

Her entire world had been built about marrying Ed Peletier. It was built on moving into a nice house, getting married in a big white wedding, and then having his children. It was supposed to be like she had imagined when she was a child. It was supposed to be like the pictures Ed had painted in her mind that night they had first laid together.

And now…now those images were cracking and crumbling in front of her. Ed was not the man she had thought that he was. She used to believe that he would never hurt her, but last night, he had proven her wrong. He had become a man that she did not want to spend her life with.

But how could she tell him that? He clearly didn't remember what he had done last night with the way he was acting. And how could she break her promise to him? How could she go back on her word when he really didn't know what he had done wrong?

She had hitched her wagon to Ed Peletiers horse and now…well, now she was so, so tempted to sever the rope holding them together, but what would happen to her after? Ed was the only man she had ever been with. She didn't know if she would ever find another who would want to marry her, especially now that she had given herself away to Ed.

_Daryl Dixon_, that voice in her mind said, effectively reminding her of the handsome redneck who had made his feelings plain the night before.

Carol looked at her reflection in the mirror as she brought her hands up to her lips. They did not tingle with the memory of Ed's kiss from the kitchen. Her mind didn't linger on Ed, not the way it did with Daryl.

It was unsettling.

She felt so lost and so very, very confused.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl wanted nothing more than to go after Carol. He wasn't arrogant enough to presume that he knew what she was thinking, but the look on her face when she fled the room spoke volumes. It was too much for her. She and Ed were clearly having problems, even if her dipshit boyfriend was oblivious to it, and she didn't know what to do. It occurred to Daryl that she probably didn't know how to get out of the train-wreck of a relationship she was in. Carol wasn't the type to voice her opinions or to knowingly do something that would hurt another. From the first time he met her, Daryl had quickly learned that she would gladly put everyone else's happiness ahead of her own. She had a big heart and unfortunately, Ed Peletier was taking advantage of it.

The bacon was suffering on account of Daryl's annoyance over the fact that he had zero control of anything that was happening in his house at the moment. Merle was so damn concerned with saving a buck that he was willing to crowd their house, regardless of Daryl's feelings about the matter. Ed was up to something with his sudden declaration that Carol was moving in. It had come out of nowhere and Daryl wondered if Ol' Ed suspected that something had happened last night. He wondered what Ed was trying to pull.

"I didn't know my sister was planning on moving in here," Catherine spoke, sitting on the chair so that her knees were drawn up to her chest.

"We discussed in last night," Ed said dismissively, sitting down at the table and shovelling some bacon onto his plate, "and sit proper."

"I dunno if my parents will like that," Catherine said, untangling herself so that she was sitting 'proper'.

"No offence, but they have no say in the matter," Ed said waspishly.

"Ya think they would," Daryl spoke up in a sneer, "seein' as ya plan on marryin' their daughter. Would be the proper thing to go to her daddy. Ask for his blessin'."

Ed let out a derisive snort, "This ain't eighteen-ninety-five, Dixon. Don't need nobody's permission."

Daryl abandoned the new batch of bacon and turned around so that he was glaring at Ed, "Ya need Carol's. Did ya even ask her if she wanted to hitch her damn wagon to ya or did ya just tell her that's what she was doin' whether she liked it or not?"

"Daryl!" Merle barked out a warning, but it was too late. Ed got to his feet and stalked up to Daryl.

"You got a problem, Dixon?" he demanded.

"Don't wanna see a good woman like that wastin' her damn time with an asshole like you," Daryl spat, taking a step forward into Ed's space. He was looking for a fight. He was looking for an excuse to knock Ed Peletier on his ass.

"Daryl!" Merle scolded again, struggling to get to his feet. Ed was smirking.

"Jealous, Dixon?" Ed taunted.

"Pfft," Daryl snorted, "Believe me, I wouldn't wanna be you for even a second."

Ed smirked, but backed off. That annoyed Daryl to no end.

Then Carol was re-entering the kitchen, coming up beside Daryl at the stove. She didn't say a word, but she really didn't have to. It didn't take a fool to see that her mind was working a mile a minute. She was troubled…unsure. It was plain to see. She focused on her cooking and Daryl watched as she flipped the pancakes and tried to salvage what was left of the bacon.

"Like it crispy, huh?" Carol said softly, glancing down at the pan.

"Nah," Daryl said in a low voice that only she could hear, "Ya boyfriend pissed me off and the bacon suffered for it."

Carol's eyes snapped to Daryl, wide and unsure. She opened her mouth to say something, but Ed interrupted her.

"Carol Ann, can you get me more juice? I'm a bit parched," Ed called.

"Get off your ass and get it yourself," Daryl snapped, "She ain't your slave."

Ed smirked at Daryl and got to his feet to fetch himself some juice. That seemed too easy. What was Peletier playing at?

"That's right," Ed said brightly, grabbing the carton from the fridge, "She's my fiancé. In fact, Darlin', I picked you up something in Atlanta. Let me go get it."

Daryl watched as Ed went to the front hallway to rummage around in his jacket. He pulled out something from the pocket. Daryl's heartbeat sped up as he realized that whatever the object was, it was small enough to fit into Ed's meaty fist. Then Ed came to a stop in front of Carol and grabbed her left hand. Daryl's heart suddenly lurched to a halt.

"I was getting sick of people getting' confused 'bout us, so I figured it was high time we show 'em that you're gonna be Mrs. Ed Peletier," Ed said to a wide-eyed Carol as he pushed a ring onto her ring finger. Carol didn't object. She just stood there, staring at the ring on her hand in shock. Daryl opened his mouth to say something, but then he felt Merle's hand on his shoulder, squeezing tightly in a warning for Daryl to keep his silence.

"It's a lil' tight, but we can get it sized," Ed was saying. Carol's head snapped up at this and her eyes locked with Daryl's. He saw that same look he had seen before when Ed had declared that she was moving in. It was the same look an animal got when it was caught in a trap: scared and panicked. Carol didn't want this, Daryl realized. She didn't want to marry Ed, let alone move in with him, but she couldn't say it. Daryl made to move forward, but Merle's hand clamped down on his shoulder like a vice to the point where it sort of hurt. Then Daryl watched as Ed pulled Carol close and kissed her, the lingering kind. Carol didn't return the kiss, but she didn't reject it either, accepting her fate without objection. There was no love in that kiss. No passion.

Ed pulled back and then turned, flashing a grin at Daryl as he did so.

"Congratulations," Merle grunted out, "Now let's eat."

**_0-TSR-0_**

Carol sat in the middle seat of Daryl's truck while Ed drove and Catherine sat in the passenger side. The remainder of breakfast had been tense to say the least, filled with small talk courtesy of Merle, Catherine, and Ed. Daryl opted to eat standing by the counter after Merle and Ed hijacked the remaining chairs. He had stood behind her so that she couldn't see him, but she could feel the weight of his gaze on her back.

She couldn't begin to imagine what he thought of her now.

Her eyes were drawn to the ring, a gold band with a diamond in the middle, on her left ring finger. It sat just above the lower knuckle on account of how tight it was. Carol had always imagined that this moment would feel different. She had thought that her fiancé would get down on bended knee and declare his love for her before asking for her hand. She had thought that she would be filled with overwhelming love for the man that she was to marry and she had thought that her ring would fit right. She had never anticipated that when that engagement ring was slid onto her finger, she would feel trapped.

And at this moment, she felt that way. She was trapped.

She was supposed to marry Ed. She was supposed to love him. She had laid with him the way that a wife was to lay with her husband and therefore she had to marry him. If she didn't, then it would be a sin.

If she was honest with herself, she would this wasn't what she wanted.

But sometimes you just can't get what you want. Sometimes obligation was greater. Sometimes you had to bit your lip and fulfill your promises…even if the idea shook you to your core. She had to marry Ed. She sinned with him. She couldn't say 'no'. Not now.

She felt like crying.

Catherine reached over and twined her fingers with Carol, holding her big sister's hand as a comforting gesture. It did little to help calm the sick feeling brewing within Carol's stomach as the truck got closer and closer to her house. She would have to tell her parents. She would have to pack her things. If she didn't…

If she didn't, they would know.

They would know that she didn't want to marry Ed. They would know that she wanted to turn her back on everything she had ever known and that she was a sinner.

Ed pulled up to the house and everyone got out of the truck to face the Taylor parents. Catherine had opted to wear Daryl's clothes home. There was no way that she was willing to wear the dress she had worn to the party in front of her mother. Carol had changed into her clothes from the day before, but she didn't feel comfortable in them. It was like they didn't fit right anymore…or maybe it was just because Carol felt like she wasn't who she was last night. So much had changed, from Ed's drunken treatment of her to Daryl's kiss to Ed's proposal this morning. Everything was so messed up…so jumbled.

Carol's parents met them before they stepped foot on the porch, both of them looking supremely annoyed. Both were in their church clothes, reminding Carol that with everything going on this morning, she had missed the Sunday service.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Daddy," Catherine greeted, offering up a sweet little grin.

"Upstairs, Catherine," George barked to his youngest child.

"Daddy-"

"Now," George snapped in a tone that left no room for argument. Catherine offered Carol a sheepish, yet supportive little smile before she moved to obey her father, moving into the house. Carol doubted that Catherine had gone upstairs. She was more than likely hidden behind the front door, listening in on whatever was about to transpire. Ed reached over and draped his thick arm over Carol's shoulder.

"Morning, George. Rose," he greeted Carol's parents. Rose's severe look of displeasure deepened and Carol cringed inwardly. This was definitely not going to be pleasant. She watched as her father took a step towards them.

"Your mother and I have discussed matters," George said to Carol, "We recognize that you are an adult now, but this is still our home and while you are under our roof, you will follow our rules."

"Then it's a good thing that she's moving in with me," Ed announced, pulling Carol tighter to his body.

"Carol Ann!" Rose ejected, disapproval dripping from her tone.

"It only makes sense," Ed continued on, "After all, we are to be married soon," he said, reaching over to raise Carol's left hand to show off the ring that he had placed there. Carol watched as her father placed a hand on her mother's shoulder in the same manner that Merle had put his hand on Daryl's.

"Congratulations," George said stiffly and not at all sincerely.

"I suppose that we ought to get your things, Sweetheart," Ed said to Carol, moving her towards the house.

"George!" Carol heard her mother protest

"This is Carol's path, Rose," Carol's father said, "Marriage is the best thing for her now."

Carol heard the disappointment and resignation in his tone. She heard the words he didn't say: 'now that she is sinning with this man.'

Some irrational part of her had thought that her mother and father would protest, seeing that they had previously disliked Ed, but then Carol realized that she was doing what they had always wanted her to: get married and be a proper wife.

A proper wife stood by her husband…or husband to be.

That was what they had taught her. That was what they were demonstrating to her at this moment. Carol's mother clearly wanted to object, but she held her tongue in deference to her husband.

A proper wife didn't argue or contradict her husband in front of others.

"We'll get your things," Ed told Carol as they stepped into the house, "Then you can follow me back to the house in your car.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl needed to keep himself busy. He needed to get his mind off of what happened and so, he went through his usual Sunday cleaning ritual, though today, he did it a lot faster and a lot angrier. He was frustrated. He hated Ed Peletier more than ever and he hated what the bastard was doing to Carol. Ed was trapping her, just like how Daryl's father had trapped his mother. This wasn't what Carol wanted. It's what she thought she should want. She responded to Daryl's kiss the night before; she didn't respond to any of Ed's kisses this morning. That had to mean something. Daryl just needed to show her that she could say 'no'. He needed to tell her that if she wasn't happy with Ed, then she had the right to say so. Daryl didn't care that they were 'engaged'. In his eyes, that was nothing more than Ed trying to rub Daryl's nose in the fact that for now, Carol was tied to Ed. Merle saw it differently.

"So Ed and Mouse are makin' it official," Merle said offhandedly as he watched Daryl do the dishes in the sink, "She's off limits."

Daryl snorted, "She ain't said 'yes'."

Merle's eyes narrowed at his brother, "She's got the rock, Brother."

"Pfft. Only 'cause that bastard shoved it onto her hand," Daryl replied, setting a plate on the counter a little harder than necessary. Merle let out a huff of air and shook his head.

"Dammit, Daryl. This has gotta stop," he chided his brother, "The girl is spoken for. She ain't on the market and you sniffin' at her skirts is bound to piss off the boyfriend that's helpin' to pay or rent."

Daryl said nothing, clamping his mouth shut as he slammed another plate down onto the counter.

"If ya want a woman, there's a bar full of 'em just a few blocks over," Merle continued, "Why don't ya pick one of 'em?"

"They ain't her," Daryl ejected before he could stop himself.

Merle scoffed, "What's so damn special about the Mouse, Boy? She ain't worth all this pinin' shit that ya doin'."

"You wouldn't understand," Daryl snapped back. And he was sure that Merle wouldn't. Merle's only interactions with the opposite sex involved the exchange of something, be it food, drugs, or body fluids. He wouldn't understand that Daryl didn't just want sex from Carol. No, this went deeper than that. Yes, Carol Taylor was an attractive woman, but there was so much more to it. She was funny and kind. She was the most genuine and honest person that Daryl had ever met. She cared about Daryl in ways that he had never been cared for before. She pulled him out of his shell and made him step out of his comfort zone. Before Carol, he never would've had the nerve to outright kiss a woman like that, but with her, he felt like he was better than what he had always told himself that he was. He felt safe with her, to the point that he was able to tell her anything. This connection between Daryl and Carol went way beyond the physical. It was something more and it was something that Daryl had never, ever had before with another person. It made him want to hold onto it. It made it special.

"Here's what I understand, Brother," Merle was saying, "I understand that that lil' woman is marryin' another man. Don't know whether she said 'yes' or not, but that was always her damn plan and she sure didn't object when Eddie was slippin' the ring on her finger. I understand that she ain't yours and she don't wanna be yours-"

"Well she should be!" Daryl ejected, whirling around to face his brother, abandoning the dishes.

"But she ain't!" Merle reminded him, stalking up into Daryl's space, "She belongs to Ed! Not you! Ya can't keep doin' this! Ya only gonna end up either with a black eye or ya gonna be cryin' over this broad!"

"You don't know shit!" Daryl spat, shoving past his brother and fleeing for the patio door. He needed out. He needed to think. He wanted to go to the woods.

Before he left, he heard his brother say, "I know more'n ya think, Baby Brother, and ya gonna get hurt."

Daryl ignored it.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Merle watched as Ed lugged Carol's suitcase to his room and as Carol set down a box near the front entryway, hovering nervously as if she wasn't sure what to do now.

"Got everythin'?" Merle asked in an attempt to make conversation with the woman that his brother seemed to think was perfect.

"I think so," Carol said in a soft voice, "This…this is different. Moving into a house. Before it was just a dorm room."

"Ain't much different," Merle shrugged, "We're all in our own lil' rooms."

Carol nodded her head, but Merle noticed the way her eyes sought out Daryl's door. He frowned. That frown deepened when she asked, "Is Daryl…is he okay with this?"

"He'll be fine," Merle said gruffly, "He's out walkin'."

"Okay," Carol said awkwardly, tearing her eyes off of the door. Merle didn't like this at all. He could see trouble in her eyes.

"Congratulations, Mouse," he told her before walking away from her, "Ed will make ya a good husband."

Even though it was a lie, Merle figured it was enough to let her know where he stood. He'd rather see her with a bastard like Ed than see her fuck with his baby brother.

**TBC**

**AN: Okay, so before you all go wanting the throttle me, consider for a moment, what type of girl Carol is here. She is a young woman who was brought up in a strict, religious, and old-fashioned household. She was brought up to believe that a woman should follow and support her man and that she shouldn't question him, especially in front of others. She was also raised to believe that sex was something that only happened between married people, so she had justified the premarital relations that she and Ed have had by saying that she is going to marry him and that she has to love him for that reason. She's at a point in this story where she is questioning that decision, but to openly say that she will not marry him will put her at odds with her values. As human beings, it is hard for us to act against what we believe in and when we do, we are put into a bit of an identity crisis. Right now, Carol is trying to avoid that by following the plan that she set out for herself. Even though that isn't what she wants, she's passively accepting it because it is familiar. Still, the fact that she's acknowledging that she's not happy in this situation is a huge step for her and she's on the path to shedding those values that have put her into this position and adopting stronger ones. It will take time. This isn't something that happens over night and it will be a journey for her. The caryl moments will come, but first, Carol has to fix what's wrong in her life. Daryl can't do it for her.**

**In regards to Ed, I know that most people are chanting for his death or removal. To me, right now, that would be a cop out. An easy fix and one that's been done to death. The thing with Ed is that he's a great tool for moving the plot along. He's the antagonist and without him, Carol and Daryl wouldn't be pushed together as strongly as they are. He will be around for a while more, but he will get what's coming to him.**

**In regards to Merle's feelings about Caryl, he is first and foremost looking out for his brother. He doesn't want Daryl to get hurt and he figures that that is exactly what will happen if Daryl continues to try for this unattainable woman. **

**Please let me know what you think so far!**


	19. Chapter 19

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 19**

Daryl stayed out in the woods for most of the night. When he returned, the house was dark and everyone was in bed. As he walked through the kitchen and the living room, he noticed little additions here and there that obviously came from Carol. There was a box by the front door that held most of her things. So it was official. She was moving in.

Daryl sighed and made his way to his room, his mind conjuring up an image of Carol sleeping in his room instead of Ed's. Even though he knew better, he was still disappointed when he opened his door and there was no one in his bed. No, the only thing that was on his bed were the folded clothes that Carol had worn the night before. He picked up the shirt, an old shirt he had picked up from a second-hand store. It felt cold in his hands, no longer warmed by the heat of her body. Still, it smelled of her and that was enough for him.

For now.

Daryl looked at the wall that separated his room from Ed's. Carol was there. For a moment, he was able to forget that Ed was there with her. He imagined that she was alone…that Ed was gone or dead and that she was there, waiting for Daryl to come to her. And he would go to her. He would lean over her and kiss her. Her arms would wrap around his neck as she turned a chaste kiss into something passionate, something intense. Daryl's body would cover hers and he would feel her warmth and her soft curves beneath him. He would kiss her neck and breathe in her scent…the same one that he was smelling right now.

Breathing hard, Daryl reached down to undo his pants, shoving them down to his knees as he gripped his hard cock in his hand. He through his head back as he stroked himself to the images that were playing in his mind…images of Carol beneath him, naked and sweating and writhing in ecstasy as he slid into her warm, wet heat over and over. He imagined her hands running through his hair, tugging him down for a desperate kiss as her orgasm took hold.

"Carol!" Daryl gasped as his cum hit that wall between the two rooms. He slumped back, falling into his bed where he was engulfed by her scent in his bed. He groaned.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Ed heard the gasp on the other side of the wall. He heard the name that his roommate had uttered and he knew exactly what that pathetic bastard was doing when Carol's name was said.

And Ed couldn't help but to smile. Ed had been right. Dixon was jealous of him. He was jealous of what Ed had.

Ed glanced down at the sleeping woman next to him. She had said that she wasn't feeling well so they hadn't had sex earlier. Now…well…it wouldn't be nice to wake her, but in the morning, Ed would wake her up to check on her. He'd play the concerned fiancé and then, about fifteen minutes before the redneck left for work, Ed would remind him of who Carol belonged to.

The bastard could fantasize all he wanted, but at the end of the day, Carol was Ed's.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl awoke at four-thirty, as usual, and started his routine, showering and then returning to his room to dress. It was at this point that Daryl heard sounds coming from the next room. He froze, his shirt half-buttoned, and stared at that stupid wall. There was the rhythmic sound of the headboard. Then there was Ed.

"Whose are you?"

Daryl clenched his eyes shut and willed himself not to hear the reply. It didn't work.

"Y-yours," Carol said softly and quietly.

Daryl winced as the headboard hit the wall harder than before.

"Louder," Ed demanded.

"Yours," Carol said a little louder.

"Louder!" Ed grunted, "Say my name!"

"Yours, Ed," Carol replied.

The headboard hit the wall over and over until it hit with a final thud and Ed grunted, "You're mine, Carol Ann!"

Daryl stared at the wall.

It was over, just as quickly as it started, but Daryl had felt like he had been standing there for hours. He didn't know why, but suddenly, everything hurt. His heartbeat was erratic and pounding in his chest. His vision blurred.

He felt betrayed.

Carol had kissed him back and he had thought that that was enough. He had thought that she would see that Ed Peletier was not the man for her. Daryl hadn't been all that concerned when Ed slipped that cheap-ass ring on her finger because he could see that she didn't really want it. He could see that she was trapped and she just needed to find a way out.

It was different now. He heard them, not for the first time, but it had been the first time since she knew that he had feelings for her. Apparently, that didn't matter to her. Apparently, he had read her, and everything else, wrong.

She chose Ed over Daryl and that stung.

Daryl shook it off and fled the house, taking possession of his vehicle for a change and driving to work, his mind reeling and spinning. He felt sick. Cold. Hurt. Angry.

He parked outside of the county shop and went about the usual routine of getting everything ready, packing extra spray-suits and chemical out to the truck. Everything was good to go when Kevin walked in, whistling in that usual way of his.

"Mornin', Bud," Kevin greeted him with a grin. Daryl grunted in response and got into the passenger side of the vehicle. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to be happy. He just wanted to do something to get his mind off of everything. He stared straight ahead, but out of his periphery, he watched as Kevin got into the driver's side. Daryl could feel Kevin's gaze on him, but he ignored it in favour of glaring out the windshield.

They had been driving for a couple of miles when Kevin asked, "You okay?"

Daryl growled under his breath and nodded his head in response.

"You don't look like it," Kevin commented.

Daryl twitched like he was shaking off some irksome fly, but he didn't respond. Kevin fell silent once again and drove them to the section of the county that they were currently spraying. Kevin hadn't even put the truck in park yet and Daryl was already out the door, slamming it hard. He went about the usual motions, filling the tank with chemical and then agitating it by turning on the pump. Then he pulled the hose out and began walking in the ditch, not caring that the morning dew was clinging to his spray-suit and making the pants he wore underneath wet. He doused the trees with the chemical, imagining that each one had Ed Peletier's face growing on it. He trudged on angrily for miles, hoping that he would exercise the demons from his mind. He tugged on the hose, trying to pull it out more, but it was stuck on the reel.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath as he pulled harder at it. He yanked it harder still and that was when all hell broke loose. The spray gun came off of the hose and chemical spurted out like a blood from a severed artery, hitting Daryl in the face.

"Fuck!" he howled, running to the pump to turn it off. Kevin slammed on the brakes and then he was out of the truck, trying to help Daryl control the chaos.

"God-fuckin'-dammit!" Daryl swore as the milky-white water dripped down his face, "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Daryl took the useless spray gun and began to beat it against the tailgate of the truck until it was just a mangled mess of metal, screws, and plastic. The broken pieces fell from his hands just as the red haze in his mind receded. He looked at the pieces in the dirt. That would probably come out of his paycheck, he realized. He sank down to his knees and began to pick up what was salvageable. He could feel Kevin's gaze on him and he was waiting for the questions to start.

Instead, there was a red rag being dangled in front of his face.

He looked up at Kevin, who explained, "You ought to wipe that chemical off. Ain't good for you."

Daryl nodded his head and took the cloth, wiping away at his face and neck. He could smell the chemical on him, a putrid sort of smell that was a mixture of lye soap and death. He wasn't too worried about it being on him. He got chemical on him almost every day. It was more toxic to trees than it was to humans…or so the label said anyways.

"We ought to head back to the shop…see if they have an extra spray gun lying around somewhere," Kevin said. Daryl recognized that Kevin was stalling and trying to find a delicate way to broach the subject.

"Guess so," Daryl croaked out. He didn't move from his position on the ground. Kevin was the one who moved, dropping to his knees to help Daryl find the remnants of the battered spray nozzle. After a few moments, Kevin spoke.

"What happened, Daryl?" he asked. Daryl knew that he wasn't talking about destroying the spray gun.

"It ain't-"

"If you say 'it ain't nothin'', I'm gonna smack you," Kevin interrupted, his face completely serious, "Use your words. Tell me what the hell happened to make you lose your cool."

Daryl had never seen Kevin look so serious before. Kevin, the perpetual joker, was staring at Daryl with such intensity that for a moment, Daryl felt like he was back in high school and having an audience with the principal.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Daryl said, "I kissed her. I kissed Carol."

The serious look on Kevin's face morphed into an expression of shock, "You kissed Carol? Carol Ann?"

"Yeah."

"Holy shit! How'd that happen? Is she still with Ed? Are you and her together now-" he broke off when he saw Daryl's agonized expression, "Oh."

"It's been a shit weekend all around," Daryl admitted morosely.

"What happened?" Kevin asked, settling down so that he was sitting more comfortable on the gravel road. For a moment, Daryl was thrown for a loop. It was like Kevin genuinely cared about what was causing Daryl so much anguish and for the first time in ages, Daryl actually wanted to talk about what was bothering him.

"It started out alright. Carol invited me to her sister's play after Ed scarpered off to Atlanta with Merle. Went fine until she asked me if I liked Ed and I told her that I thought he was an asshole. She didn't like that and when I left, shit was awkward," Daryl explained, "Then, an hour or so later, I get a call. Ed was drunk off his ass and rolled his car. He walked away with nothin' more'n a few bruises and Merle had his arm fucked up. Had to get surgery and everythin'."

"Holy shit! Is he okay?" Kevin wondered.

"Says he is," Daryl said, "but I dunno. Doc said he'd be able to tell if there was nerve damage or somethin' in a couple weeks. Right now, he's off work."

"Wow. Ed gonna pay for the medical bills?" Kevin asked.

"He should," Daryl maintained, "but Merle's tryin' to play it off like it's nothin'. He says he wants Ed to stick around to keep on payin' rent. He even had me lend my truck to that fucker. Ed took Carol out on a date, but he got drunk off his ass again and when she brought him back, she looked like she was scared of her own fuckin' shadow. Don't know what the bastard did, but if he hurt her…" he trailed off as he felt his blood pressure spike. He composed himself and continued, "I had to go run an errand for Merle. Pick up some money, so I said I'd take Carol home, only when we got to the place, we found her sister there. She was all kinds of fucked up so we took her back to my place so their parents wouldn't find out. Then Carol and I were talkin' and she was sayin' how she weren't happy with Ed so...so…"

"You kissed her," Kevin finished for him, grinning like a fool, "Showed her what she was missing?"

Daryl nodded, "Somethin' like that. She kissed me back and then she went to bed. Thought things'd be different after that. Thought she'd change her mind. Next mornin', she and I are makin' breakfast and then Ed's comin' in. She was so damn flinchy when he was around…almost like me, but not as bad. I know he done somethin' to her, but she didn't say what. He's actin' like nothin' happened and announcin' that Carol's gonna be movin' in and then givin' her a damn engagement ring, tryin' to rub my nose in it."

"What'd Carol say?" Kevin asked, his face serious again.

"She didn't say anthin'," Daryl said, "She just kinda stood there in shock. She looked like she didn't want none of it, but that she couldn't figure a way out of it. When they left to go drop Catherine off, Merle's givin' me shit for wantin' her and sayin' that she ain't ever gonna be mine. I didn't believe him. I thought that once she opened up her eyes and saw what an asshole she's marryin', she'd maybe come to me, but she didn't," he sighed brokenly, "I heard 'em this mornin' before I left. Heard 'em fuckin'."

"Ah, shit!" Kevin ejected, looking just as upset as Daryl felt, "That's why you were so pissed off this morning."

"I don't know why," Daryl shrugged, "She weren't mine to begin with-"

"But she should be!" Kevin protested, "Ed Peletier's an asshole and everyone who knows him and you would agree that you are by far the better choice!"

"Carol don't," Daryl said quietly, "Merle don't."

"No offence, Daryl, but Merle's an asshole," Kevin said, "and Carol Ann has never spoken up to anyone in her life. She's always thinking about what everyone else wants and doesn't think twice about sacrificing her happiness for the happiness of others."

"I know that," Daryl sighed. Of course he knew that. It was one of the things he liked most about her.

"So, she's not going to break up with Ed because that would mean going against what he wants…it would disappoint him and her parents," Kevin explained, "She's a people pleaser. Always has been."

"And why's that matter? She's made her choice," Daryl said dejectedly.

"No she hasn't!" Kevin chided him, "Ed made her choice for her. She hasn't made a choice at all and until she says 'I do', she's still hasn't made it! You need to go after her! You need to show her, once and for all, that you are the right choice!"

"Kev, I ain't the type of guy to steal another man's girl!" Daryl protested, "I ain't gonna be the other man. I ain't gonna hang around, put everything I got into somethin' when she's just gonna wind up with that bastard anyways!"

"And how do you know she's gonna pick him?" Kevin countered, "She could pick you!"

"She ain't pickin' me!" Daryl argued, getting to his feet to pace around. Kevin got to his feet as well.

"And why not? Because she's stuck with Ed right now? She isn't crazy glued to him! You can still separate them!" Kevin protested.

"It ain't that!"

"Then what?"

"I ain't for her!" Daryl revealed, breathing hard as he admitted the thought that kept holding him back, "Girls like that…they don't belong with guys like me. I'm a Dixon and-"

"That's stupid," Kevin shot at him, "Your last name doesn't dictate who you are! If it did, you'd be a boozin', drug-dealin', womanizer just like Merle! And you're not! You're a good guy, Daryl! You have your principles and I respect the hell out of that! You work hard every day to try and make your life better! And you're my friend! Believe it or not, I've never had that many friends. Most guys wouldn't be caught dead around someone who bats for the other team, but you never cared! That tells me that you are a damn good person and that anybody would be lucky to have you in their life and Carol would be a damn fool if she chose that dumb bastard over you!"

Daryl really didn't know what to say to that. He opened his mouth a couple of times, but no sound came out.

"I'm serious," Kevin said to quell Daryl's silent protests, "I mean, sure, you can be like a caveman in some ways, grunting and groaning all of the time, but underneath that tough exterior, there's a good and decent man. Most men wouldn't think twice about stealing Carol Ann out from under Ed, but here you are, trying to follow your code even though by doing so, you're causing yourself a world of hurt. In a lot of ways, you're just like her, Daryl. You don't think much about your own happiness and that's crap because everyone, including you and her…especially you and her…deserve to be happy because you're both good people!" Kevin told him, "Don't sit on the sidelines. Don't be miserable because you won't let yourself be happy. Go after her."

Daryl was silent for a moment, still at a loss, and when he tried to speak, it came out garbled, "I…I dunno…I…"

"Then you need to figure it out," Kevin said seriously, "You've got to take this chance, Daryl. You might get hurt, but then you might get the best thing that will ever happen to you."

Daryl nodded his head to show that he had heard Kevin, but he didn't know what to say to that. It was a scary thing to put yourself out there when you knew that you were likely to be the one getting hurt. It was also hard to step away from all of those morals and principles that you've held close all these years. He didn't know if he could really do it.

Kevin sighed, "Come on. Let's go back to the shop and get a new spray gun. If anyone asks, this one fell off the truck and we ran it over by accident."

**_0-TSR-0_**

"This is just like we've always wanted," Ed murmured into Carol's ear as she cooked up some dinner, "It's almost just like we're married."

Carol said nothing, choosing instead to focus on the meal she was making. She tried not to think of how terrified she was by the fact that someday, sooner rather than later, she would be Ed's wife. All of this just felt wrong to her. It was like her body was on autopilot, going through the motions while her mind was silently screaming at her. This…this playing house with Ed…it didn't feel right. She wanted out. She didn't want to do this anymore. She was just pretending to be happy. It was all a façade…a mask.

She felt Ed pull away from her and then she heard him happily greet, "Hello, Daryl."

Carol's head snapped to the archway separating the kitchen from the living room. Daryl was indeed standing there and he looked almost like he was in pain. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Daryl nodded his head and then moved past Ed into the kitchen, looking for a beer in the fridge.

"Call me what supper's done, Darlin'," Ed said with a wide smile as he went to go watch the news with Merle. For the first time since Saturday night, Daryl and Carol were alone together and Carol felt nervous. So much had happened since then. She watched as he popped the tab on the beer can and then as he took a sip. He threw his head back, the muscles in his neck taut as he drank. She frowned.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "Why's your neck red?"

Daryl lowered the beer from his mouth and sighed, "Had a chemical spill. No big deal."

Carol's eyebrows shot to her hairline and she abandoned the food on the stove to approach him, "Are you okay? Does it hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?" she fired questions at him as she reached up on instinct to touch his skin. He took a quick step back, avoiding her touch. Both of them seemed to freeze.

Then he shook his head, "Just a rash. I'm fine."

He abandoned his beer on the counter and fled the room. Carol's heart fell. She couldn't remember a time where Daryl shied away from her touch. She could, however, remember the time he had spent avoiding her in the weeks after they first met. She remembered how he fled the room whenever she walked into it.

That was what he was doing now. He was avoiding her again.

This time, she knew why. She had hurt him. She could see it in his face when he left. She saw through the cracks in his mask.

It had to have taken a lot of courage for him to put himself out there and kiss her the way that he did. He was probably confused and hurt by her actions since then, first her kissing him back and then her agreeing to marry Ed. Carol felt awful. She felt her heart ache for him. He didn't deserve to hurt and she hated that she had made him hurt. She wanted nothing more than to heal his pain and make him feel better.

She just didn't know how. He was avoiding her again and she had bound herself to Ed. Everything just seemed so complicated and she really, really wished that it wasn't. She wanted him to be happy and she wanted to be happy too, but with the way that everything had gone lately, she just couldn't see that happening for either of them.

**TBC**

**AN: A couple of notes here:**

**-This is the last time Daryl will hear Ed and Carol on the other side of the wall.**

**-This is the first of three updates. Considering the complaints I have gotten about me 'drawing this out', I've decided to update in bulk so that I can get those impatient readers through the 'annoying' parts of my story as quickly as possible. As such, updates for this will be more spread out than is usual for me.**


	20. Chapter 20

**The Spare Room**

_**Summary:**_ The bills keep piling up and if Daryl Dixon has any hope of improving his life, he and his brother are going to have to find someone to fill their spare room. The problem is that while he can't stand his new roommate, he finds himself falling for his roommate's girlfriend. Caryl. AU.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you recognize from the Walking Dead.**

**Chapter 20**

"So, have ya'll set a date yet?" Helen wondered, sidling up to the front counter while she chewed on a large piece of gum.

"Date?" Carol asked without looking up from money she was counting. It was cash-out time at the Harvest Garden and Carol was more than ready to go home. She had worked all day, which was a tough shift in itself, but then she had to take the evening shift as well as Jacqui's babysitter had cancelled last minute. It was exhausting, but it meant a pretty decent paycheck.

"For your weddin'," Helen clarified, "I saw the ring."

Carol paused and glanced down at her hand where the engagement ring stood out. She sighed, "Ed got it sized and is insisting that I wear it everywhere," she offered in explanation.

"And why not?" Helen wondered, "That's a decent size rock."

Carol shrugged her shoulders, "Do you want to do the sweeping?" she asked, more to get rid of Helen and her questions than anything. The last thing Carol wanted to talk about was Ed.

"Sure," Helen agreed, but the blond made no move to get to sweeping the restaurant. Instead, she blew a bubble, popped it, and continued, "So? When's the date?"

"Ed was talking about in the next couple of months," Carol admitted tersely.

"That's soon," Helen commented, her eyes glancing downward to Carol's belly, "Shotgun wedding?"

"No," Carol denied, shaking her head, "No, Ed just…he really wants to be married."

That was an understatement. All he could talk about when she and him were having dinner with Merle and Daryl was the wedding. Each time he brought it up, Carol wanted to dig herself a hole and crawl into it. Then she would look at Daryl, who was still trying to maintain that mask of his, and she would feel like the lowest human being on the planet. He didn't deserve to be in that position, listening to Ed making plans to marry her. Not when she knew how he felt about her.

"And you don't?" Helen wondered. Carol's head snapped up at the question. Was she that transparent?

"I do…I always have, it's just…"

"You're nervous?" Helen finished for her, "I would be too, marrying Ed Peletier."

Carol completely abandoned counting the money and looked full on at her blond co-worker, "What do you mean by that?"

"I went to school with him. He dated my best friend for a bit. Tina Folley," Helen explained, "I must have been when you were still in junior high school, Honey. Anyway, he was a real piece of work, Thought he was god's gift just because he played football and he figured that Tina should've worshipped the ground he walked on. He always wanted her with him and if she wasn't, if she was with me or some of our other friends, he'd get pissed. He'd always say that she was his and that she had to be with him. He still like that?"

Carol was struck dumb for a moment. Ed had never told her about Tina. In fact, he did still act the way that Helen described. Carol shrugged, "A little. How did it end?" she asked curiously.

"Ed was always accusing her of cheating, but it turns out that he was the cheater," Helen revealed, "My friend Kate caught him having sex with another girl in his truck at a party. Ed tried to talk his way out of it, but Tina stood firm. He tried for weeks to get her back. He'd follow her home, wait outside of her house…things like that. That ended when Tina's brothers came home for Thanksgiving, saw him at it, and beat him up."

Carol was silent. She hadn't known any of this and if she had, she probably never would have gone out with Ed in the first place. She felt like a fool. She had thought that she knew him, but really, it appeared that she hadn't known him at all. That feeling that she had been feeling all week intensified. She felt trapped, but she felt like her trap was getting made worse with each passing second. It was like she was a rabbit caught in a snare that just kept getting tighter and tighter as the hunter approached with his knife.

"But I'm sure he's changed," Helen said quickly, "After all, you wouldn't have agreed to marry him if he was still like that."

"Yeah," Carol said weakly.

"I'll get to sweeping and then we can get the hell out of here," Helen offered, finally getting to work and letting Carol finish hers. Carol's mind wouldn't turn off all through her cash-out and she had to recount it multiple times before she got it right. After she was finished, she hopped in her car and drove home. Though she was exhausted, she was sort of glad that she was getting home late. It meant that she would have a legitimate excuse for when Ed reached for her tonight. Since Monday, she had been making excuses as to why she couldn't have sex. She was sure that Ed was getting frustrated with her, but even he hadn't enjoyed the one time that they had sex since that time in Daryl's truck. Carol had been tense. How could she not be when the last time Ed had hurt her? She had gone through the motions, but in the end, Ed had been frustrated with her. He called her frigid after it was done. He said that she had sounded like a robot when she had answered his questions in bed. He hadn't been pleased at all. Since then, Carol had made excuses whenever Ed wanted her. She had fake headaches. She claimed to be tired. She would hide in the bathroom until he fell asleep. She was actually looking forward to her period in a couple of weeks so that she would have a week's worth of excuses.

How sad was that? She would rather deal with the cramps and the bloating than make love to her fiancé. This wasn't how she had pictured this point in her life at all. Nothing was how she pictured her life to be. She couldn't help but remember that conversation she had had with Daryl last Saturday night. What was it he had said before he kissed her?

_"__The world is a complicated thing. Never usually works the way ya expect it to."_

More and more, she was coming to see that Daryl had been right. The world wasn't black or white, like Carol had always thought it was. It was filled with shades of grey. It wasn't straight-forward. It was messy. Complex. Carol had sure never thought that she would find herself engaged to a man that she wasn't even sure that she liked anymore.

She pulled up to the house a few minutes later and found it dark, something that she was actually relieved about. It hopefully meant that Ed was already in bed. As she went inside, though, she noticed a lamp on in the living room. Carol felt trepidation. She didn't want to see Ed at all.

As she rounded the corner, she found that it was Daryl sitting in the living room, sprawled out in the armchair reading a book. He must have heard her come in because he looked up at her, their eyes catching each other's in the low lighting.

"Hi," she greeted, not knowing if she should expect a response. He had spent most of his week avoiding her, only seeing her for ten minutes at supper time before he either spent the rest of the night outside or in his room.

"Hi," he said back, closing his book and setting it on the coffee table.

"Can't sleep?" she asked before he could get up and go to his room.

Daryl shrugged, "Somethin' like that. Long shift?"

"Yeah. Jacqui couldn't find a sitter, so I stayed late," she explained, coming to sit down on the couch, "What're you reading?"

Daryl, who had been fidgeting like he was about to get up and leave, paused again, "It's Stephen King. The Stand."

"Oh," Carol said, leaning forward to pick it up to read the back, "What's it about?"

"Some super-flu hits the world and kills off a ton of people," Daryl explained, "And the survivors either have dreams of a little old lady or some creepy guy. It ain't half bad."

"One of my dorm-mates was really into Stephen King," Carol supplied, "I never really liked the whole horror thing."

"This ain't really horror," Daryl said, "It's more…I dunno…sort of what would happen at the end of the world. Better'n that zombie shit that ain't never gonna happen."

"True," Carol agreed, "A super-flu is more likely than a zombie apocalypse."

Daryl mustered a sort of half smile before he got to his feet, "Uh, I'm…uh…gonna go to bed…"

"Can we talk?" Carol asked quickly, wanting to catch him before he left. This was the first time in five days that they had actually had a moment alone without anyone to interfere.

"About?" Daryl asked, looking wary and guarded. It had been with a pang of sadness when Carol first realized that Daryl had rebuilt all of the walls that he had taken down when he and Carol became friends. Carol had been ashamed of herself for hurting him.

"Us," she said simply. She saw it again, in the faint light, as part of his true feelings shone through the cracks in his mask. She saw hurt.

"Ain't no 'us', Carol," Daryl told her in a gruff voice, "Think ya made that pretty clear."

"Daryl, I…" Carol didn't know what to say to that. It sort of stung a bit that he no longer wanted her around him, but she couldn't really blame him, not after what she had done, "Daryl, I'm sorry that I hurt you. It was…it was never my intention and I feel awful about it. I don't blame you for hating me-"

"Don't hate you," Daryl grunted. Carol's heart leapt a little at that, but still, she had her doubts.

"You've been avoiding me," she reminded him, getting to her feet, "You've barely spoken to me all week."

"What do you want me to do?" Daryl questioned, angling his head towards her, "Ya want me to pretend to be happy that you're still with Ed? Ya want me to go back to things like nothin' ever happened?"

Carol was caught off guard. She didn't know what she wanted from Daryl. She didn't know why that out of everything, she was most hurt by the fact that she was losing him. Daryl was waiting for her to say something, genuinely curious about what was it she wanted from him.

"I don't know," she stammered, "I just…"

"Just what?" Daryl prompted.

"I just don't want to lose you," she admitted softly. Daryl's face changed. It seemed to soften as he took into account what she said.

"I…I…"

Now he was the one caught off guard. Carol closed her eyes and took a breath. Then she opened them and said, "These last few days…they've been just…horrible and I think the worst thing about it is that…I really don't have anyone to talk to and…and I miss you."

She was putting a lot out there and she didn't know how he would take it. It sort of sounded silly. She saw him every day now and she still missed him. She wouldn't be surprised if he laughed at her or walked away.

"I miss ya too," Daryl admitted softly, completely surprising Carol. She just stared at him for a moment and then it was like her feet were moving on their own accord towards him. She embraced him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. He was tense at first, unsure, but then he began to relax, holding her against him. Carol couldn't help but notice how right it felt, being there, wrapped up in his arms. She felt safe, like nothing in the world could hurt her. She sighed happily and burrowed deeper into the embrace, feeling strangely like she was home.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"And then what happened?" Kevin demanded from his perch on top of the spray tank, looking very much like an over-excited puppy.

"That was it," Daryl said, passing Kevin a jug of chemical to add to the water, "I said goodnight and she went to get ready for bed. Looks like she slept on the couch, though."

"So she hugs you and then, instead of going to sleep with her fiancé, chooses to sleep on the couch?" Kevin clarified, "Sounds like she's getting sick of Peletier and is hankerin' for a little Dixon."

"Ain't like that," Daryl told him.

"Of course it ain't," Kevin agreed, his eyes rolling behind his glasses, "It could be like that though, if, instead of spending the week moping, you had actually manned up and went for her."

Daryl scowled, "I weren't moping."

"You were moping," Kevin said firmly, "Whenever I brought up her name, you'd get your little scowl and then you wouldn't talk for the next hour. Moping."

"You're a nag and you're pushy. Worse'n a damn woman," Daryl griped. All week he had had to put up with Kevin asking him why he hadn't done anything about the Carol situation and it was tiresome, especially when he had to go home to see Ed all over Carol about this wedding shit.

"And you need to throw out your little rule about not pursuing taken women, grow a pair, and then go and make Carol Ann yours," Kevin countered, measuring out the amount of chemical that he would be putting into the tank, "Really, from the sounds of it, it wouldn't take much to do that."

"Really? How d'ya figure?" Daryl shot at the little know-it-all.

"Let's break it down," Kevin said as he poured the chemical in, "She has to work late, so you stayed up to make sure she got in okay."

"Ed went to bed after smokin' a joint," Daryl supplied, "and I don't want to see nothin' happen to her."

"Right, because you love her," Kevin said, throwing Daryl a smug look.

"I don't-"

"You haven't been able to get your mind off of her since you met her, you would do about anything for her, and you're absolutely miserable when you're not around her," Kevin listed, "You're afraid to make another move because you're afraid of losing her and you've been a disaster all week over her. Sorry, Pal, you're in love."

Daryl wanted to protest. He wanted to say that he didn't love Carol and that he wasn't scared of anything. He wanted to deny it until he was blue in the face, but the words wouldn't come. The truth of the matter was that since he had first laid eyes on Carol, Daryl Dixon hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. The thought of not being around her did kill him. He'd rather just be her friend than be nothing to her at all just so he could be around her. He had never felt that way about anyone before and the fact that he did now just about confirmed it: he was in love with Carol Taylor. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Anyways," Kevin continued, "You wait up for her and when she gets home, she doesn't go straight to bed. She comes out to talk to you. She tells you that she wants to talk about you two and then she apologizes for hurting you. She says she misses you…even though she sees you every day now. Then, when you finally use words instead of caveman grunts, she hugs you and doesn't let you go for a minute or so. And finally, to top it all off, she doesn't go sleep with her fiancé."

"Sounds about right," Daryl begrudgingly admitted, his mind still reeling from the realization that he was in love with Carol.

"You are like one move away from being in with her," Kevin declared, "She's half in love with you already!"

"She…I…" Daryl stammered, "Dammit."

Kevin hopped off of the spray tank, "Okay, I know you're against the whole stealing thing, but from the sounds of it, she's not too pleased with her future husband…and really, two minutes isn't enough for anyone to feel pleased. All you have to do is show her that you're the better choice. Put your best foot forward and show her what she's missing. Then, she'll dump Ed and you're free to woo her in your own Dixon way."

It sounded tempting. It sounded real tempting. Daryl shook his head, "Ya don't get it. She ain't gonna leave him. She's got it in her head that she's gotta marry him."

"So change her mind," Kevin said, "Daryl, if you don't do something, you're gonna lose her for sure and you'll have to spend the rest of your life wondering what could've been. You've got to fight for her. Anything worth having is worth the fight."

Daryl sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He wanted the attention off of him so that he could process all of this, "Kev, why's this mean so damn much to ya? What's the big damn deal?"

"I told you that everyone deserves to be happy," Kevin reminded him, "and if you and Carol can overcome all of this then…well…maybe there's hope for me someday," he shrugged his shoulders, "I guess I'm just a romantic at heart."

Daryl really didn't know what to say to that. Kevin rarely ever talked about the possibility of love in his future and if he did, it was usually some made-up girl to get someone off his back. In this day and age, people were becoming more tolerant to the idea of homosexuality, but there were still those that held very rigid beliefs. Unfortunately, Kevin had been born into one of those towns that held those rigid beliefs and often had to hide who he was. He was well aware that if he wanted to find someone, he'd have to leave Cranwall to do it and even then, there would still be obstacles to overcome…probably even more obstacles than what Daryl and Carol would have to overcome if they wanted to be together.

Daryl put the truck back into gear and thought about what Kevin had said. If you wanted something, you had to fight for it. Daryl knew that better than anyone. For six years, he had been fighting to make his dream of going to school a reality, even with the odds stacked against him. He had struggled through high school to make the grades he needed while trying to scrape money together to save and to pay the bills that his old man never had the money for. He went from job to job, working long hours for whatever money he could get. It was hard work, but every day, he was getting closer to that dream, that goal.

These days, it seemed that Carol Taylor was fixing more into Daryl's dreams of the future and like with his goal of becoming a biologist, pursuing her would take hard work, which made him really think on the way he had saw things. Growing up, he had thought that love was supposed to be easy…effortless, like the way it had been for his grandparents. Now…well, he wasn't so sure. It was complicated and messy and really, really hard to sort through and deal with. His granddad had always told him that he would have to work for anything he wanted in life. Maybe that included love as well.

It was definitely something to think about.

**TBC**

**AN: This is update 2 of 3.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Carol was late getting home the next day.

She had the shift from hell at the Harvest Garden. Jacqui came in with the news that her husband had got a job in Atlanta for some big business and the family was relocating. She also came in with a girl to be her replacement to make things easy on their boss. She was Jacqui's neighbour's daughter and she was a complete clutz. Carol didn't like to think badly of others, but it was a little hard to be positive about the woman who had spilled coke down Carol's front during the noon rush. Carol had spent half the day in a sticky, stained uniform and by the time that she was finally cleared to leave, she had had several bites from bugs attracted to the sugar in the pop. All she wanted was a shower and a nap.

"Carol Ann, where've you been?" Ed called from the living room when she walked in the front door, "Damn near starved!"

"I had a long day at the restaurant," Carol supplied as she took off her shoes and set them outside so that they wouldn't attract bugs into the house, "I'm going to throw a pizza in and then I'm going to go shower."

A frozen pizza, while not the most appetizing meal, was all that Carol really had the effort for at this point. She passed through the living room, noting that Ed and Merle were both sitting in front of the television drinking a beer.

"Merle, have you had your pills?" Carol asked as she passed through.

"Daryl gave 'em when he got home," Merle grumbled sourly. Carol cringed a little at his tone and did not press the matter. She would tell that it was bothering him that he had to rely on others to help him while his arm was out of commission. It had really bothered him when Daryl had asked Carol to make sure Merle got his pills seeing as how she was usually the last one to leave in the morning and the first one home in the evening. It had been an awkward conversation Tuesday night at dinner where Daryl had spoken more to the table than he had to her and Merle had stormed off in anger and frustration. That was the most that Daryl had spoken to her all week.

Carol shook it off and went about turning the oven on and putting the pizza in so that she could go for her shower. When she got there, clothes in hand, she found that the shower was already occupied, as was the norm whenever Daryl got home. She was just about to return to the living room when she heard the shower stop, so she decided to wait just outside the door, knowing that it wouldn't be much longer before Daryl came out. She was right, of course, when the bathroom door opened and Daryl stepped out, wearing a pair of grey sweatpants that hung low on his waist and a towel around his neck. Carol swallowed hard as her eyes roamed over his lean torso, noting the tattoo over his chest and the way his muscles twitched and flexed. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw her standing there.

"Uh…hey…didn't know ya was waitin'," Daryl stammered.

"I just got here, actually," Carol assured him, gesturing to her stained uniform, "I…was just…"

"Showerin'," Daryl said, his voice coming out a bit higher-pitched than normal, "Right. Sorry."

He scooted out of the way, keeping his back to the wall as he moved to let her pass. Carol smiled at him and said, "Thank you, Daryl. Um, do you think you could check on the pizza I put in the oven?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course," Daryl promised her, nodding his head before he ducked into his room.

**_0-TSR-0_**

Daryl couldn't get into his room fast enough. He was convinced that he had acted like a total idiot in front of Carol, stammering and shuffling about, but in all fairness, she had startled him. He hadn't expected her to be there and it was a bit disarming, especially given the fact that he had just realized that he was in love with he a couple of hours before. Daryl was now sure that Kevin was right; Daryl did love Carol. He had to because how else could he explain the way his heart jumped to his throat as soon as he saw her or how he had an overwhelming urge to take her into his arms and hold her like he had the previous night. Daryl had never wanted to do that with anyone before…not even with the few women that he had been with in the past. One glance at her had Daryl wanting more…wanting too much.

He shook his head in an effort to clear his muddled thoughts, but it all came back to the fact that Daryl was in love with Carol. She was so close, just down the hall in the bathroom, probably standing beneath the shower spray as droplets of water made tracks down her body. Oh how Daryl wanted to join her…how he wanted to show her things that she had never known before. He wanted her badly, to the point where he was aching for her.

_'__Well, if you want her so damn bad, then maybe you ought to go after her. Steal her away from that undeserving bastard and make her yours,'_ that voice in his head urged him on. Strangely enough, that voice sounded a lot like Kevin and Daryl was losing the fight with himself. Maybe it was time to let it be known that he wished to be a contender for Carol's affections. Maybe it was time to go after something that he wanted.

"This could get ugly," Daryl warned himself as he slipped on a t-shirt.

_'__But you'll never know if you don't try.'_

He let out a breath and then stepped out of his room. The bathroom door was still closed and Daryl could still hear the sound of the shower running. Of course, he should have expected nothing less. He made his way through the house, rolling his eyes as he passed the living room where Ed and Merle were watching sports. At Ed's urging, they had caved and started paying for cable…well…Merle was paying for cable. Daryl refused to on the principle that he didn't watch the damn TV anyways. He stepped into the kitchen and was greeted by the smell of pizza. He checked on it and then left it to cook as he got out plates for him, Carol, and Merle. He figured that Ed could get his own damn plate.

By the time that Carol entered the kitchen, dressed in a pair of PJ pants and a blue tank-top with her hair up in a towel, the pizza was finished cooking and Daryl had it on the three plates, ready to be served.

"Smells good," Carol complimented him, "Why's there only three plates?"

"Ed's got legs," Daryl mumbled. He had meant for it to come out defiant, but instead, it had come out muffled as he spoke to the counter more than he spoke to Carol. She was quiet for a moment and then she spoke.

"Daryl-"

"Good! Pizza's done," Merle crowed, bounding into the kitchen. He went directly to the counter for one of the plates, coming between Daryl and Carol to do so. Merle tended to enjoy meals that he could eat one-handed, like chicken or sandwiches or pizza. He grew frustrated with things that required a knife and a fork.

"Pizza," Ed scoffed as he followed Merle inside, "Was expectin' a decent damn dinner on a Friday night. Not this frozen shit."

"Guess we can't always get what we want, huh, Ed?" Daryl taunted, gathering up the two remaining plates and carrying them towards the table, setting one down in front of Carol's chair as he took his spot.

"You'd know, wouldn't you, Dixon?" Ed sneered at Daryl before he turned to Carol, "Grab me a piece, Babe."

"Ya got legs. You get it," Daryl shot at Ed before Carol could move.

"Carol, pizza," Ed ordered, sitting his fat ass down on his chair. Daryl's blood boiled as Carol obediently fixed Ed's plate for him, setting it down in front of him before she sat in her chair. She shot Daryl a small smile.

"Thanks for getting me a slice, Daryl."

Almost as soon as she said it, Ed reached over and slid her plate out from in front of her, "Ya should be eatin' a salad, Darlin'. Gotta fit in a weddin' dress after all."

Daryl clenched his fists and Carol glanced down at her lap, silently taking it.

"She looks damn fine to me," Daryl snapped, reaching across to slide Carol's plate back in front of her.

"Exactly," Ed shot back, reaching for the plate again, "I'd hate for her to gain weight and have to have her dress taken out. My father is payin' good money for that dress after all."

"Pfft. If anyone should be worryin' 'bout losin' weight, it's you," Daryl scoffed, shaking his head as he reached for the plate again. Ed jerked it out of his reach.

"Why don't you mind your own goddamn business, Dixon? What goes on between a man and his future wife ain't your concern. Ain't that right, Merle?" Ed asked Merle, who was about two bites away from the crust of his slice. Merle looked carefully at Ed and then at Daryl, levelling him with a hard stare. Daryl knew what was coming.

"Ed's right, Boy. Leave the weddin' talk to the ones gettin' hitched," Merle said, confirming Daryl's suspicions. Daryl shook his head.

"Pathetic," he muttered as he got to his feet, "Just fuckin' pathetic."

He carried his plate with his untouched piece of pizza to the counter. Merle stood up, "What was that, Brother."

"Ya heard me," Daryl snapped as he pushed two more pieces of pizza onto his plate and wrapped it with the plastic wrap, "Puttin' my pizza in the fridge and I'm goin' for a damn walk," he announced sourly, doing just that as he stormed off. If he didn't get out of there, he was either going to do or say something that would get him in trouble.

He was irritated with all of them. Ed was just fuckin' annoying. Carol wouldn't stand up to the bastard. Merle was selling out and agreeing with Ed for the sake of the money. It was all so damn stupid and he was sick of it.

He was sick of getting his hopes up and finding the will to try only to be cut down by Ed and Merle. He was sick of having to watch Carol wither under Ed's control when he knew that she could be so much more than a housewife. He was sick of being on the sidelines.

Kevin was right. It was time to do something.

It was time to fight for what he wanted.

**_0-TSR-0_**

"Really, you should have just cooked a decent meal," Ed grumbled as he got ready for bed, "I don't know why Dixon figures he needs to stick his nose where it don't belong."

"Daryl was just being nice-" Carol started her defence only to be cut off.

"He's being nice to get into your pants," Ed sneered, "How many times do I have to tell you that he ain't a good guy? He's just a dirty, sleezy, redneck that thinks he can take what's mine."

Carol stayed silent, knowing that defending Daryl would just put Ed onto one of his rants, something that he did more and more these days. He would tell her how worthless Daryl was and how he wanted to steal Carol away.

Carol couldn't get a word in edgewise whenever he got like that and even if she could, it's not like she could tell him what had transpired last weekend between her and Daryl. She still remembered what he had said after the kiss…

_"__I know that you're with Ed, and even though he don't deserve ya, I ain't the kind to try to steal another man's girlfriend away. That ain't me so…so I'm gonna leave it there. If ya wanna stay with him, fine, I'll step back…but…but if ya don't…at least ya know that ya got more options than just him."_

That little speech had spoken volumes about what kind of man Daryl was. He wasn't what Ed was making him out to be and that was frustrating Carol. She knew the real Daryl Dixon. She knew what a kind, considerate, and honorable man he was and yet, she couldn't defend him, not without revealing the kiss to Ed, something that he would surely be upset about. It wasn't a position that she wanted to be in…although, that was becoming a common theme in her life right now. She was stuck in all kinds of positions that she did not want to be in.

"I'm going to go make myself a glass of warm milk," Carol announced, "If I can get a good sleep, maybe I can keep this cold away."

Ed grunted in acknowledgement and Carol took the opportunity to leave the room. It was another excuse, of course. She wasn't getting sick, but she knew that if she told Ed that she was, he would avoid her for fear of getting sick himself. The nice thing was that she could use that excuse again tomorrow night.

She made her way to the kitchen, hoping to whip herself up something without Ed hearing. She _had_ wanted a piece of pizza at dinner and the salad she had made for herself while Ed and Merle ate hadn't been very satisfying. As she entered, she found that the kitchen was occupied by Daryl, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a rag cleaning some parts of something she didn't recognize.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Carol joked, offering him a smile. He gave her a half-smile in return.

"Figured ya would've been in bed by now," Daryl commented, focusing once again on his task.

"I got hungry," she admitted sheepishly, "I thought I'd whip something up."

"There's that pizza I put in the fridge…if dumb and dumber didn't eat it all," Daryl commented.

"That's not very nice, Daryl," Carol told him, "and I couldn't eat your pizza."

"I got three slices on that plate," Daryl responded, "Pretty sure I can spare some."

Carol nodded her head and reached into the fridge to get the pizza Daryl had set aside. She decided to warm all three slices figuring that Daryl hadn't ate yet. After it was done, she took the plate to the table and sat down.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she carefully took one of the warm pieces of pizza. Daryl set the rag on the table and reached for one of the remaining slices.

"Cleanin' my crossbow," he said, "Like to take it out and shoot."

"I didn't know you had a crossbow," Carol commented.

Daryl shrugged, "I mostly keep it in my room under the bed. I don't get a lot of time to go shootin' with it these days. Figured maybe I'd go out tomorrow. Blow off some steam."

They silently ate their pizza as Carol digested his words. She couldn't help but think about the disaster that dinner had been.

"Daryl?"

"Hmm?"

"Today at dinner…you…why…"

"Everybody needs to eat and of us all, you're the last one that needs to be starvin' herself," Daryl said, "You're…you're perfect the way ya are."

Daryl averted his gaze and used his pizza-free hand to fiddle with a piece of the crossbow. Carol could see the blush rising on his neck. It was by far one of the sweetest things that anyone had ever said to her, "Thank you, Daryl."

Daryl shrugged his shoulders as he finished off his pizza, crust and all, in three bites. They sat in silence again before Daryl reached over and pushed the remaining piece of pizza towards Carol.

"I'm okay," Carol refused with a small smile.

"Take it," Daryl insisted, now focusing more of his efforts on the crossbow, putting it back together so it actually resembled the weapon.

"Why do you have a crossbow?" Carol asked curiously.

"Good for huntin'," Daryl answered, "Merle gave me it when I was sixteen. He had come back home while he was on leave and handed me this."

"On leave?"

"He joined the military when he was eighteen. Served a couple years until he was discharged," Daryl supplied, "Merle ain't the type to bow down to no one and his superiors didn't like it."

"I kind of noticed that about Merle," Carol agreed, "He seems to be having a bit of a hard time lately."

"Think it's finally sinkin' in," Daryl said, pausing in his movements to look her in the eye, "He's startin' to realize that the doctor weren't foolin' 'bout this bein' a serious injury. He's findin' that shit's hard with only one hand and if the doc's right and there is nerve damage, he's gonna be this way for the rest of his life."

"That's got to be a scary thought," Carol murmured.

"Ain't never seen Merle licked by somethin' like this before," Daryl said, "It's weird havin' to take care of him."

"When does he find out about his hand?" Carol wondered.

"We got an appointment next Tuesday," Daryl told her, "Doc there's gonna make sure things are healin' right."

"I hope it goes well," Carol said.

"Not much can beat Merle," Daryl replied, resuming his work on the bow, "Feed him a hammer and he'd crap out nails, my brother."

Carol laughed, "That's a charming thought."

"Well, he's a charmin' guy," Daryl chuckled.

"You got a bit mad at him at dinner," Carol remembered, "What was that about?"

Daryl was silent for a moment, organizing his thoughts as his hands worked. Carol waited patiently for him to speak. Finally, he looked up at her through his fringe of hair.

"Merle…Merle's so damn concerned 'bout money these days," Daryl said, "He's willin' to agree with whatever bullshit that comes out of Ed's mouth 'cause he wants Ed to stay to keep payin' part of the rent. I'm getting' sick of it. He don't…he don't much approve of me spendin' time with you."

"Oh," was all Carol could say to that, "Why?"

"Reckon it's 'cause Ed's the jealous type and Merle don't want me pissin' Ed off," Daryl shrugged. The pair were silent for a moment and Carol was tempted to tell Daryl what she had learned about Ed from Helen yesterday. She knew that he would listen to her and she really wanted to tell someone. She missed having her sister under the same roof.

"I…I was talking to Helen at the diner yesterday," Carol started, "She told me that Ed used to date her friend. She…she told me stuff."

Daryl perked up, "Like what?"

"She said that Ed was conceited…jealous. She said that he cheated on her friend and when her friend broke up with him, he followed her around," Carol explained, feeling a bit lighter once she had shared her news.

"Asshole," Daryl muttered, "Why're ya marryin' him again?"

Carol leaned back so that she was staring up at the dusty ceiling fan, "I don't know," she admitted, "I just…it's complicated."

"It's only as complicated as ya make it," Daryl told her.

"All my life, my mother always preached on about how important it was to have a husband and how important it was to honor and obey him," Carol explained, "and now…"

"Ed ain't ya husband yet," Daryl pointed out.

"He might as well be," Carol said softly, her eyes still glued to the ceiling, "It's…he…we…"

"Just 'cause ya had sex with him don't mean ya gotta marry him," Daryl blurted out.

Carol snapped her head to look at him, her cheeks colouring as she stammered, "What?"

Daryl's cheeks were just as red as he realized that he had spoken his mind and he tried to backtrack, "What I mean is…dammit…I…well…um…yeah…shit. Sorry."

They stared at each other for another moment before Daryl tried again.

"He's the first guy ya dated right?"

"Yeah," Carol answered.

"Well…just 'cause he's the first don't mean he should be the last," Daryl got out, "That's what I meant."

"But…I…um…"

"Goddamn, I'm an idiot," Daryl groaned, running his hand over his red face, "I'm sorry."

"You're not an idiot," Carol defended, "It's just…a little personal…"

"I know, but…I know ya ain't happy with him…I…I could hear it-"

"Hear it?" Carol questioned, "Hear what?"

Daryl's face got redder, if that was possible, and then he blurted, "I can hear it through the wall when…uh…"

The colour completely drained from Carol's face. Daryl could hear through the wall? Carol felt sick. She hadn't known that Daryl…and possibly Merle…could hear whatever went on in Ed's bedroom. They would have heard everything that had happened between them. Daryl would have heard.

"You heard…"

"Yeah," Daryl confirmed, "Sorry…I weren't tryin' to listen, but…"

"I'm so embarrassed," Carol moaned, burying her head in her hands.

"Don't be," Daryl said quickly, "Ain't your fault."

Carol felt Daryl's hand on her arm in sort of a comforting gesture. It was actually comforting in a way and Carol lowered her hands from her face, "Do you think…do you think he knows…"

"Wouldn't put it past him," Daryl said.

"I feel sick," Carol admitted. Now she couldn't help but wonder if Ed had known about it and had used it to taunt Daryl. It was no secret that the two of them didn't like each other and this week, Ed had seemed to show her special attention whenever Daryl was around. It was sick.

"It's alright. I tried to steer clear…" Daryl was saying, "but I did hear…and well…it ain't soundin' like ya…uh…enjoy it much…and uh…if ya don't like bein' with him, then…well ya…ya shouldn't."

Carol nodded numbly and said, "I…uh…I think I'm gonna sleep on the couch."

"Ya don't gotta," Daryl said quickly, "Ya can take my bed again-"

"I don't want to put you out-"

"Ya wouldn't be," Daryl assured her, "Go ahead. I'm just finishin' up with my bow so…yeah…you go ahead, Carol."

He smiled a bit at her, assuring her that it was okay. Finally, she nodded and got up. Before she went anywhere, though, she moved around to his side of the table and kissed his cheek. She left him sitting there, dumbstruck, as she fled the room so he wouldn't be able to see her blush.

**AN: Update 3 of 3. So Daryl and Carol are trying to figure out how to move forward now. Daryl wants to pursue her, but first Carol needs to get rid of Ed Peletier. The next time I update, Ed will be on his way out.**


End file.
